Forbidden Love
by MistressChurro2054
Summary: Erika is an animal shapeshifter and wants to join a special group of knights called the Cardinal Warriors. One problem though: women aren't allowed to join. So with the help of her good friend Ned, she dresses up as a man and joins the warriors. She ends up getting paired with a powerful wizard named Lukas. Erika has to be a good partner while concealing her actual gender.
1. Chapter 1: Greetings

In a far-off land known as the Cardinal countries, were four kingdoms each named after the four cardinal directions. North, South, East and West. Across the countries lived many mystical creatures and of course, normal humans. But lots of the creatures that lured in the mountains and forests weren't always friendly.

So, in order to combat against them and protect innocent lives, the government established a group of warriors to fight them off. A special selection of fighters called the Cardinal Warriors. The group as a whole consisted of two-person teams. One a wizard and one an animal shapeshifter. But there was one catch: despite their power or strength, women weren't allowed to join. As gender equality wasn't a thing in their world.

But one young woman was determined to break that trope. In secret, obviously.

Her name was Erika Kohler. 19 years old. Short wavy blonde hair and large blue eyes. She was taller than most girls but she was quick on her feet and could handle just about any type of weapon a man could. But weapons meant nothing to her, as she came from a long blood line of animal shapeshifters. Dragon shapeshifters to be exact.

So, she would be a great asset to the Cardinal Warriors, as dragon shapeshifters were rare. But she was a girl. Women and girls who were treated as sex toys and baby ovens. Just seen as weak and almost useless.

Erika didn't want to fall into that life. So thanks to one of her guy friends who was apart of the Cardinal Warriors, she was able to train with other rookies and newbies joining the warriors.

"You owe be big Erika."

"Don't worry Ned. I promise to make it up to you."

Erika was changing for the day with her Cardinal warrior friend in his cabin. Ned was a tall, well-built man with dirty blonde hair and pale green eyes. His hair was usually slicking up in a point that defied gravity but kept its shape unless wet.

"Now let me tighten that." Ned walked up to the blonde girl and took over wrapping the cloth around her cleavage. He suddenly pulled it tighter. This caused Erika to cringe and shoot him a glare.

"Do you mind?! I already have to bind my chest to disguise myself as a guy. But I like my breasts, thank you very much. I'd like to nurse my future children one day." Erika hissed venomously.

Ned ignored her and pulled one more time before securing it, "Erika. You've got very defined breasts. The point is not to be discovered. So I need you to look as manly as possible." He rolled his eyes.

"What if I need to bathe and then put it back on?" Erika countered and tugged on her dark red tunic, as well as some brown pants, darker browns boots and a tan belt.

"Be happy, I sewed a cloth that'll button and unbutton for something just like that." Ned cracked a small smirk and tossed her a beige cloth.

The blonde girl pouted and stuck her tongue out at her friend, "I hate you. Why must you always solve the issue?" She muttered.

"I'm your best friend, that's why. I make sure you don't do nothing stupid." Ned snickered and ruffled up her hair, "Alright, let's go meet your partner. Be cool around him. This guy is not one for jokes and foolhardiness."

"Really, my partner is a monotone, stick-in-the-mud?" Erika whined and head butted his chest, "Why do you torture me like this?!"

Ned rolled his eyes and gently pushed her off him, "You've been paired up with him because of your varying personalities. You're supposed to balance each other out."

Erika pouted and poked his cheek, "He better not be too much of my opposite or else I'll fall for him. And that would compromise my disguise. Because then I'll want to flaunt my boobs."

"You're so immature."

"You're no fun."

Erika silently followed Ned through the camp. The Cardinal Warriors have a base in a small grassy area of the forest closest to the Northern Kingdom. The blonde girl looked around at the variety of men scattered around the camp. She was trying her hardest to keep a straight face. Being serious was never her strong suit. Ned had to smack her upside the head and pull her along.

"Rika, focus. Don't stare or make eye contact just yet." Ned held onto her wrist, "You are Mathias Kohler. A dragon shapeshifter from a village based at the bottom of the Eastern Mountains."

"All of that is the truth aside from my gender." Erika muttered, tossing some hair out of her face.

"Just shut up until you meet your partner." Ned groaned and tugged her along. The dirty blonde led her into a small cabin near the edge of the camp and close to the trees.

"Who enters my personal space?" A bored voice spoke softly that was followed by a yawn.

"It's Ned Peeters. I've came to deliver your new partner to you." Ned nudged Erika forward. With the sound of two finger snaps, a few candles lit up the room. A blonde man walked up to Erika. He was a head shorter than her.

"H-hi. I'm Mathias Kohler. It's a pleasure to meet you." Erika smiled sheepishly.

The young man looked her up and down, "Charmed. Well I'm Lukas Bondevik." He spoke solemnly. This man, or Lukas, had straight blonde hair with blue-violet colored orbs. He wore a silver cross shaped clip pinned in his hair. As for his clothes, Lukas was dressed in a white long-sleeved shirt with a blue vest, black pants and brown boots. He also wore a black cloak with a hood.

"What kind of animal shapeshifter are you?" Lukas questioned.

"I'm a dragon shapeshifter. My family is one of a couple bloodlines that has the dragon blood." Erika rocked back and forth on the heels of her boots.

Lukas paused for a moment, "Really? You must be strong, powerful. You're probably more about brute strength aren't ye?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah I'm more act first and think later." Erika blushed, rubbing the back of her head. Lukas squinted his eyes at her.

"You look very feminine Mathias." Lukas held up his right hand and jabbed Erika's forehead. This made Erika panic. Did he already see right through her disguise? Ned noticed her distress and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Mat naturally looks kinda like a girl. Should you really be talking pretty boy?" Ned scoffed. Lukas stared daggers at the taller male.

"Just shut up Nathanial. Go find Matthew and leave me alone to get to know my new partner that you were so nice to bring by." Lukas spat.

"Fine be that way Luke." Ned smirked. Lukas snorted and flipped the dirty blonde off while said insulted man waltzed out of the cabin. Lukas focused his attention back on Erika.

"So . . . what do you want to do now . . . ?" Erika bit her lip and twiddled her thumbs.

Lukas gave her a tiny smirk, "Well I did say I wanted to get to know my new partner. So sit down and make yourself comfortable. We've got a lot to talk about hot shot." His tone only made Erika shudder and swallow thickly. Why did she feel suddenly very terrified?

 **So this is my first long term fanfic that I do plan on finishing. I don't really have a set few days on when I'm going to update it. I'm just kinda gonna go with the flow. I'll probably update every other day, since I need to find the want to write and then proof read it. So I hope you all enjoyed reading it.**

 **Please comment and review!**

 **~Churro**


	2. Chapter 2: Now

Erika and Lukas sat awkwardly in the middle of the cabin. Erika rubbed her hands together nervously while Lukas just stared at her. Neither one of them were taking a chance to speak and break the tense silence. The woman took a deep breath when her partner held up a hand.

"Tell me about yourself Mathias. We're partners and building trust is very essential to a stable relationship, romantic or platonic. So tell as many details of your life as you can think of. Keep no secrets from me." Lukas said in a very demanding way.

 _Yeah, no secrets. That's easier said than done._ Erika thought sarcastically.

The taller blonde cleared her throat, "Well I was born and raised in a village based at the bottom of the Eastern Mountains. We're known for creating a variety of weapons to take down dangerous creatures, as well as our handiwork with winter clothing.

"I grew up with no siblings but I had a lot of friends who were basically family. My two closest friends are Ned or Nathanial as you call him and sweet but deadly little blonde girl named Tina. Coincidentally, we're all the same age, although our varying height differences would probably say otherwise. Tina looks like a child compared to Ned and me.

"Despite being a shapeshifter, I can use a lot of different weapons. But I guess that shouldn't be too surprising, considering weapons are what my home town is known for. What else . . . oh yeah! I'm an outstanding baker according to my mother. I make some of the best bread and sweet baked goods you've ever tasted." Erika smiled more and more as she spoke. She blushed as she saw Lukas listening rather intently, more than she thought he would.

"One last thing. Why did you become a Cardinal Warrior?" Lukas asked curiously, "Seeing how you and Ned interacted during training as well as how your describing your life, you seem a little too soft and cheery to be apart of a group that is known for slaughtering blood-thirsty creatures."

Erika gulped and thought for a few moments before her eyes lit up, "This may sound cheesy and unoriginal but I joined because I wanted to protect the ones I care about and my home town. They've all been so good to me. I feel as if I should repay the favor. Something like that."

Lukas let her reasoning wash over him for a couple minutes, letting his hand touch and fiddle with the cross pin in his hair. He then looked up at her with unreadable expression.

"If I'm being honest, that's the most reasonable explanation I've ever heard. Most are here just to impress women and/or because joining this group is a family tradition." Lukas looked up at the ceiling of the cabin, "I joined the same reason you did. I wanted to protect my little brother from harm."

Erika smirked, "So are you gonna tell me about yourself? You said it yourself, being honest does build trust." She put her finger against his forehead, the same way she and Ned showed affection.

Lukas shrugged his shoulders and looked up at her, "I guess that is fair. Where do I start? I guess from where I came from. I came from a village in a plateau sandwiched between two mountains, right at the edges of the Northern and Eastern mountain range. In a corner if that makes more sense. We grow and trade a lot of different things, such as fruits, veggies and herbs. It is a very successful village, having been built along a river.

"As for family, my parents married young. Which resulted in a huge age difference between my brother and I. I'm 20 and he's 10. But we were both accidents. My dad never wanted kids to begin with. But only caved in for my mother. I never liked the man. I'd save my mother and brother but not him. I would leave him to die. As if I would care if he died. I'd be more happy than sad.

"But luckily, like yourself, I did have friends to escape to whenever I couldn't deal with my father. Two boys named Arthur and Vladimir. Arthur is a blonde with green eyes. Vladimir has light brown hair with reddish-hazel eyes. They're my best friends. It was heart wrenching when I had to leave my village to come and head to the Northern Kingdom to train and perfect my magic. Both had little siblings to take care of, as both had lost their parents." Lukas had reacted opposite while sharing his past. His face was blank of emotion but his eyes said something completely different. His eyes full of sadness.

Erika so badly wanted to hug Lukas. He looked so sad. So the tall female decided to change the topic before she did something really girly.

"S-so what are Arthur and Vladimir like? They must be something special if you consider them family." Erika asked sheepishly. Lukas perked up.

"Well Arthur is a lot like me, except he's a bit more expressive with his emotions and rather grumpy. Vladimir is the most outgoing between the three of us. He is always cheery, outgoing and loud. Very loud. Despite that though, he was the best at keeping secrets." Lukas explained, his mood seeming to lighten a little.

"That's nice to hear. Sounds like they are good and loyal friends." Erika put on a sincere grin to cheer him up. She might have not known him for very long but she already knew that she didn't like to see him cry.

After chatting for a little bit in the cabin, Erika and Lukas went for a walk in the forest.

"So you're a wizard?" Erika blinked.

"No, I'm a vampire. Of course I'm a wizard." Lukas rolled his eyes.

"Anyway, I keep hearing about different ranks of wizards. Care to explain that to me please?" Erika asked curiously.

Lukas cleared his throat, "There are five rankings of wizards: D, C, B, A and elite. A wizard's ranking is based on the amount of power they have, amount of spells under their belt and how much control they have over their magic. Rank D is the lowest ranking. And elite is obviously the highest. I'm a Rank A wizard. And it is pretty fitting that a dragon shapeshifter is paired with a high ranked wizard." He gave a thorough explanation while hanging upside down from a tree branch.

The tall blonde blinked and rubbed the back off her neck, "Holy shit, that's so complicated and tedious." She exasperated, letting out a long sigh.

"Well only the best wizards are allowed into the Cardinal Warriors. They need to be able to protect all four kingdoms." Lukas shrugged, interacting with a small green pixie. The pixie cooed but darted off. The shorter man paused and listened to his surroundings. Erika looked around before hearing a loud roar, much like a giant cat.

"It sounds like it's coming from . . ." Erika spoke slowly before going into panic mode, ". . . the camp!" She gasped.

"Let's go before the creature causes too much damage." Lukas ordered, jumping out of the tree and rushing off. Erika quickly followed, trying her best to keep up with him. When they got back to base, large tan cat was causing trouble. A young blonde adolescent boy commanded Ned who shapeshifted into a black wolf and attempted to fight off the beast.

"Oh no! What should we do Lukas?!" Erika gulped and looked to Lukas for help.

Lukas glared at Erika, "Well what do you think hot shot?! Magic is useless against this beast! I need you shapeshift. Right now!" He snapped.

Erika thought for a moment before Lukas groaned, smacking her upside the head and shoving her forward. The tall blonde stopped thinking and shapeshifted into a large red dragon. Her and Ned worked together to fight and scare off the large cat. But not without getting injured. When the two changed back into their human forms, Ned and Erika had sustained many large cuts on their bodies.

The adolescent blonde ran over to Ned, "H-hey Ned, are you okay?!" He panicked, kneeling by Ned.

Ned grunted and grasped the boy's shoulder, "Matthew, calm down. J-just help me up and back to our cabin." He coughed. The adolescent nodded and pulled the taller male to his feet, carefully taking him back to their cabin.

Erika sat up but immediately collapsed, "God dammit. These wounds are deep. That why I hate being a shapeshifter. You still sustain wounds in your human body . . ." She muttered. Lukas grabbed her arm and threw it over his shoulder.

"Come on Mathias. Get on yer feet so it can be easier for me to drag ya back to our cabin." He huffed. Erika gripped his shoulder and managed to force herself on her feet. From there, the two trudged back to the cabin. Lukas managed to lay her down on a bed.

"Okay, yer wounds look really bad. I'm going to have to remove yer clothes to treat them properly. I promise to mend them back together." Lukas was in doctor mode. Erika was a bit out of it so she just nodded, not really comprehending what he was doing. Well not until he cut through her tunic and . . . her binding. Erika gazed up at his face, curious why his face was bright red. But she quickly figured it out and attempted to cover her cleavage. It was a useless effort, as he had already saw and her wounds were painful. She only hissed softly in agony and flopped back onto the bed.

"I'm . . . I'm sorry . . . . I wasn't . . . honest . . . with . . . . you. . ." Erika felt light headed. She heard Lukas calling out her fake name before everything went dark around her.


	3. Chapter 3: What and Why

Erika woke up after a few hours. She moved her hand up and down her upper body, feeling bandages that covered even her breasts. Then started to look around the cabin, spotting Lukas and Ned talking with each other. Erika weakly reached out her hand towards Ned, as if pleading for help.

"Hey there sleeping beauty. How are ya feeling Rika?" Ned walked over to her and knelt by the bed. Erika rubbed her eyes and poked Ned's forehead.

"What do you think smart ass? We were attacked by a large, monstrous cat-like creature. I've got scratches and a ton of cuts on my chest. It's hard to breathe right now . . ." Erika huffed and attempted to sit up, "Help me up asshole." Ned just shrugged at her request.

Lukas took her hands and gently pulled her up, draping a blanket over her shoulders. Erika looked up at him. He had a puzzled look on his face. Probably because he didn't know how to handle this situation. Once he noticed her staring, Lukas quickly turned his head away from her gaze.

"Did I do a decent job putting the bandages on?" Lukas muttered, pulling his hands away from hers.

Erika bit her lip, "You did an excellent job. Thank you. And . . . I'm sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't honest with you. I should've told you or at least hinted at it. It was humiliating to let you find out how you did. You can report me and get me thrown out of the warriors." She mumbled, pulling the blanket over her head.

Lukas gave her a small smirk, "After what you did to protect the base, do you really thing I would report you?" He snickered softly. Erika gasped and snapped her head up to stare at him in shock.

"W-wait, seriously? You're not going to tell anyone that I'm a woman?!" Erika blinked, her mouth looking like it would hit the floor out of shock.

Lukas nudged Ned, telling him to shoo to somewhere else in the cabin. Ned rolled his eyes and got up, strolling over to the other side of the small home. Lukas then took a spot next to Erika.

"No I won't. You are the strongest woman I've met. I have seen a dragon shapeshifter before and his strength didn't even compare to yours." Lukas put a hand on her shoulder, "Just don't ever reveal yourself. Not only would you get kicked out but you would probably be raped by the other male warriors here. And I can't have that happen. You are my partner. You're technically mine." He leaned closer, mere inches away from her face. Erika flushed bright red as he gently grabbed her chin. The young woman panicked and threw the blanket over his head.

"Whoa easy Rika." Ned made her lay down, putting his hand on her breast. Erika slapped him across the face.

"Don't touch me!" Erika shrieked, "I'm in pain and a woman. Just . . . leave me alone. Both of you . . ." She snatched up the blanket and curled up under it. Lukas glared at her and was prepared to argue with her when Ned grabbed his elbow and took the shorter man over to the opposite side of the cabin.

"What in the blue hell are you doing?! She's being stubborn." Lukas hissed, ripping his arm away from Ned's grasp.

"Let me set something straight. Erika may be your partner but she's also a woman. Even if no one else knows her real gender, you do. Ya know what that means? You treat her with respect! If she's angry at you, you don't blow a gasket too. She may seem cheery on the outside but the girl has a fiery temper if ya push the right trigger points. And Erika will always to refuse to back down from a fight. You need to be the calm one. The one with a level head, got it?" Ned forcefully sat the blonde in a chair.

"And why should I listen to you Nathanial? You aren't her brother." Lukas scoffed and stuck his nose up in the air. The tall male stared the other down and then grabbed the front of his tunic.

"This girl is has had no siblings. I'm sure she told you that she's an only child. Not only that but her father is very protective of her. To the point that he was appalled that she wanted to risk her life to protect others." Ned snapped, "I'm the closest thing Erika has to an older brother. And the last thing I want is for her to get hurt. I'm a wolf shapeshifter and I _**will**_ rip you to shreds if you hurt her in any way. Do I make myself clear?"

Lukas gave Ned an icy glare, "Clear as crystal. Now let me go." He huffed. Ned snorted and threw Lukas to the ground. Lukas was prepared to tackle the man down when a note was slipped under the door. The smaller male grabbed the paper and skimmed through it.

"Get Erika dressed. The general's kid, the commander of this group of warriors, is asking for everyone to gather at the center of the camp." Lukas rolled his eyes and grabbed his cloak.

"No need to be so bossy. You aren't my partner." Ned muttered.

"Just get her dressed and . . . and be careful of the bandages around her uh . . . cleavage. The cuts were pretty deep." Lukas blushed slightly and awkwardly avoided eye contact with Ned. The tall light haired brunette smirked and took the hint. He got Erika up out of bed and into her mended tunic. Then three headed outside where many others were already gathered. The teen from earlier, Matthew, ran up to Ned.

"Is Mathias okay?!" Matthew gulped, purple orbs filled with worry.

Erika ruffled up his hair, "Don't worry kid. I'm fine. Matthew, right?" She smirked.

"Yeah, that's right. I'm happy you remembered my name." Matthew blushed. Erika and Matthew chatted for a little bit when two tall warriors stepped out of the largest cabin.

"Presenting your commander, Julchen Beilschmidt." One warrior announced. An albino woman with red eyes walked out of the cabin. Erika raised an eyebrow.

"You're kidding? The commander of this group of is a girl? I thought girls weren't allowed to join." Erika furrowed her brow.

Lukas tossed some hair out of his face and scoffed, "Julchen and her sister Monika are the two daughters of one of the generals of the Cardinal Warriors. They are the exceptions. Julchen is a bit mischievous but can maintain a serious personality and is very good at keeping order. And before you ask, Julchen is 16 and Monika is 13." He explained.

"Ah, thank you very much for that information dump. I appreciated it." Erika spoke sarcastically.

Lukas snorted and intentionally looked away from her, "You're welcome. You better be thankful." He scoffed.

Julchen wore a dark red top with a black flowy skirt that had two slits. Under her skirt was a pair of gray pants and black boots. Her hair was rather long (at least down to her thighs) and pulled up by a red ribbon in a long ponytail.

"Hello boys. We have an issue. Many creatures have been spotted along the edges of the Northern and Eastern Mountains. General Beilschmidt has recommended our team spits up into small groups of four and patrol any villages along those mountains." Julchen paced back and forth, "Now I will assign you to your groups." She pulled out a clipboard.

"Oh god. Ned, I hope everyone is okay." Erika gasped.

Ned put his hands on Erika's shoulders, "Rika, you need to relax. I'm sure everyone is okay. I'm not gonna hug you right now. But you really need to relax."

"Rika? What kind of name is Rika? I thought his name was Mathias." Matthew blinked. Erika began to panic again. Ned playfully nudged Erika's shoulder.

"Rika is a family name. His name is Mathias but Rika is a middle name passed down by tradition in his family." Ned shrugged.

"Oh! Okay, that makes sense." Matthew smiled sheepishly.

Julchen walked up to the four of them, "Team Lukas and Team Matthew, you four are assigned to the most Northern Village between the Northern and Eastern Mountains. And if I remember correctly, Lukas, that would be your hometown." She smirked, "I thought you would like to head home and see that adorable little brother of yours."

Lukas nodded curtly, "Thank you for the opportunity for me to head back home."

Matthew bit his lip, "U-um ma'am. I'm from that village as well. My brothers and I are from there." He spoke softly.

"Oh, right. Say hi to your brothers from me then. Try to talk to Arthur into joining the warriors." Julchen shrugged and put a hand on his shoulder, walking away.

Ned placed a hand on Matthew's head, "While on the trip, we're gonna tell ya a secret. And you better not tell."

Matthew raised an eyebrow, "What kind of secret?" He questioned.

Lukas ran a hand through his hair and Erika whistled nervously.


	4. Chapter 4: Meet & Greet & Into the Fire

"Wait, what?! Mathias is a she!?" Matthew huffed. After packing and saddling up three horses for the trip, teams Lukas and Matthew headed off towards Lukas' village in the northeast. Ned briefly explained to Matthew about Erika's situation.

"Yes. I'm Erika. But you _will_ refer to me as Mat or Mathias in front of the other warriors." Erika face palmed, "Stop freaking out. Keep a level head and an open mind. I'm a dragon shapeshifter. I can kill you easily. If you blab my secret, _**I will**_ kill you, dragon or not!" She huffed.

"Rika, calm down before I knock you out." Ned groaned.

Erika snorted, "I'd like to see you try, asshole!" Her and Ned were sharing the same horse so an intense argument ensued.

 _Perhaps it wasn't the best option to let those two ride together._ Lukas thought.

"Hey Lukas. Are you 100% sure those two are close and attached at the hip?" Matthew questioned.

Lukas shrugged, "They grew up together. Plus Ned threatened to kill me if I hurt Erika so I'm sure they care about each other to an extent. But even I question their relationship sometimes."

"You've known them for a day." Matthew rolled his eyes.

"You can get to know people in a day kid." Lukas smirked.

After a few more hours of traveling, the four decided to stop for the night. Erika and Ned made make-shift hammocks in between two trees. Lukas and Matthew made themselves comfortable on the ground in front of an unlit campfire.

"How? Just how." Matthew raised an eyebrow.

"We're good with our hands dummy. We can construct just about anything." Erika stuck her tongue out at him.

"We can make some for you two if ya want." Ned shrugged.

"Oddly enough, I feel safer on the ground." Matthew rolled his eyes.

Erika puffed out her cheeks, "Would you cut the attitude pretty boy? I don't much appreciate assholes. I'm a girl. Just deal with it." She groaned.

"Maybe I don't wanna ignore the fact that one of the strongest shapeshifters is a woman." Matthew scoffed. Erika marched up to him, towering over the adolescent.

"You got a problem with powerful women? Shall I remind you that our commander is a 16-year-old girl. Not all women are weak." Erika grabbed the front of his shirt.

"You wouldn't hit a minor! I'm fifteen. Still technically a child by most standards." Matthew panicked. He never thought he would fear a girl. Especially one who was nice to him and remembered his name.

"I wasn't gonna hurt you. I just want you to drop the attitude. I already deal with Ned's crap. I don't wanna deal with yours too. Can't we just all be friends?" Erika muttered and released him.

Matthew just stared at her. He now, for some reason, had profound respect for this . . . woman. She was strong and humble. Not to mention gorgeous and gentler than he previously thought. The adolescent stared at her. Her short wavy hair perfectly framing her face. Large eyes that were as blue as the ocean and sky. Erika snapped her fingers in front of his face.

"Hello! Earth to Mattie. You okay with being friends?" Erika huffed, raising her hand to slap him. Matthew immediately blocked her assault by grabbing her wrist.

"Being friends sounds nice." Matthew smiled and stood on his tip toes to kiss both her cheeks. Erika was left speechless with a reddened face.

Ned face palmed, "Why? Why did you throw her off like that? She doesn't understand your customs." He groaned.

Matthew laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't know what came over me. But that _is_ how we get women in my home village. Lukas can probably vouch for me on that." Ned glared at Lukas who nodded.

"It is true. Women are treated with a good amount of respect in our village. Elders created this custom because, as they say it, women are the closest thing to god as they can create life." Lukas replied.

"That is probably the wisest thing I've heard all day." Erika yawned.

"Okay I guess we should be getting to bed now. We're literally less than a kilometer away from the village. We need to have a lot of energy to greet the villagers." Ned slung an arm around Erika.

"Wait, we need to get a fire started." Lukas protested.

"Right, that. Let me handle it." Erika stretched and took a deep breath, exhaling and producing fire much like a fire breathing dragon. This act set the campfire ablaze with a warm glow. Erika climbed into her hammock and passed out. Lukas and Matthew were left in shock.

"What the . . ." Lukas trailed off.

Matthew were large with excitement, "Oh my god! She can breathe fire like a real dragon?!" He gasped.

Ned shrugged, as if the action was completely normal. "Well she is a dragon shapeshifter. She does possess a few characteristics of a real dragon."

"That is so cool!" Matthew grinned, "Oh I have so many questions for her now!"

"Bed, now pretty boy." Ned placed a hand on Matthew's head. The young blonde pouted but surrendered, getting comfortable on the ground by the fire. Lukas quickly joined him.

The next day, Ned and Lukas fed the horses while Matthew and Erika gathered the supplies. Soon they were off. The village came into view quickly. Lots of farmers in the fields recognized Lukas and Matthew, greeting them happily and running off to tell others. By the time the foursome arrived at the entrance of the village, many villagers were waiting there and cheering.

"Oh my god. Are you two famous or something?" Erika blinked

"My parents are excellent wizards and protect the village. Matthew's grandmother worked alongside my family as a strong warrior." Lukas explained, "So we're automatic celebrities because of our families."

"Ah lovely. I won't know what privacy is while I'm here." Erika pouted.

"No one is a pervert. Well most people aren't." Matthew chuckled nervously.

"MATTIE!" shouted a male teen. Matthew paused and looked amongst the crowd. A adolescent blonde was bouncing up and down. An adult blonde male stood next to him. Matthew gasped and jumped off his horse, pushing through the crowd and tackled the two blondes.

Erika blinked, "Lukas please explain what just happened?"

Lukas snickered softly, "Those two are his brothers. The one who got his attention is his older twin Alfred. The other is Arthur, a good friend of mine that I told you about."

"Lukas who is that pretty blonde behind you? Is she your lady friend?" asked an older woman.

"Miss Applegate, she is just a colleague. We work together." Lukas rolled his eyes, "By the way, my people see right through disguises. So no use hiding your identity." He whispered to Erika.

"Could've told me beforehand so I could have worn something more presentable and not have Ned bind my chest." Erika scoffed, "He makes it so tight . . ."

"I can help with that." Miss Applegate helped Erika off the horse, "I'm a tailor of this village. I can whip you up something nice." She smiled and looked up at Lukas, "Mind if I borrow her?"

Lukas shook his head, "I don't mind at all. Be my guest. Just take her to my home when you're through with her." He shrugged.

Erika glared at Lukas, "I hate you so much. You owe me big for this." She huffed as she was dragged away.

"You are such a dick." Ned smirked, "I respect you."

"I know you said I needed a level head with Erika but I can't help poking her buttons just a little bit." Lukas hummed, "I'll be careful, no worries."

After chatting with a few villagers, Lukas took Ned to his family home. A short white-haired woman with shoulder-length hair tended to a garden while a little boy chased a black cat. The boy paused at the sight of Lukas and Ned.

"Big brother!" The boy squealed. He had white hair and violet colored eyes. Dressed in a white dress and brown boots, he ran up to Lukas and hugged his legs.

"Hi Emil. It's nice to see you again." Lukas picked up his brother and kissed his forehead.

"I missed you so much! But even so, I still take good care of mama and papa." Emil giggled.

"Is Leon treating you well?" Lukas glared at the black cat. The cat turned into a brunette boy with deep brown eyes wearing a pale red kimono with a large yellow belt, tan pants and black flats.

"I am very good to your brother. After all, you trusted me with his care." Leon flipped some hair out of his face.

The woman perked up and turned around, "Oh Lukas. My boy!" She gasped and ran up to Lukas, pulling her boys in for a tight hug.

"Hello mother. How are you?" Lukas returned the hug with one arm.

"I'm fine, a little lonely without having you _and_ your brother here at the same time." His mother smiled, "Who's your friend here? He's very tall and serious."

"Mother, Emil. This is Ned Peeters. He is a colleague of mine. Ned, this is my mother Kielo and little brother Emil." Lukas introduced them.

Kielo held out a hand, "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Ned accepted the handshake, "The pleasure is all mine, miss Bondevik." He nodded curtly and looked at Leon, "Who's that?"

"That's some random kid who can shapeshift into a cat. Ignore him." Lukas huffed.

Emil pouted and poked his brother's cheek, "Big brother. Be nice to Leon, remember?"

Lukas groaned, "That is Leon Wang. He can shapeshift into a black panther. His family left him behind a few years ago and have yet to find him again. So we have allowed him to live with us." He explained.

"A black panther huh? That's a cool animal." Ned smirked.

Leon scoffed, "Yeah it's cool. Can you shapeshift? I'm sure it's a lame animal."

"Kid, I can shapeshift into a black wolf." Ned shrugged.

Leon gasped, "Oh my gosh. That is totally a cool animal!"

"Yeah, a black wolf is just as cool as a black partner." Ned ruffled up the boy's hair.

"So Lukas, is your partner with you?" Kielo asked eagerly.

Emil gasped, "Oh yeah! You wrote in your last letter that you were getting a new partner. I've been wanting meet them so badly."

Lukas bit his lip, "Y-yeah they're here. I'm sure you two will like them."

"Lukas! Next time have my back. Don't just let people walk off with me." Erika's voice sounded, drenched in anger. Lukas rolled his eyes and turned around to get a look at Erika. Both him and Ned were left speechless and red faced. Erika wore a dress with a long sleeved red top and black skirt. A matching black corset was wrapped around her waist. Her cheeks were dusted a light pink with bright red lipstick. The only things that didn't change were her boots and her hair.

"My god Rika. You actually look like a girl." Ned had to keep himself from laughing.

Erika balled up her hands, "Ned. Shut up before I knock you out." She hissed.

"She is the most beautiful woman I've encountered. She's got a body many other girls would die to have. Although I wish she had longer hair. Then I could've done something with it." Miss Applegate came up behind Erika.

"Thank you miss Applegate. She looks wonderful. You may leave now." Lukas put on a small smile. Erika blushed at the compliment. Miss Applegate chuckled and walked off.

"Who's that?" Kielo blinked.

Lukas took a deep breath, "Alright. Mother don't freak out or panic. But this is Erika Kohler. She is my partner. She's a dragon shapeshifter."

Kielo, Emil and Leon were left speechless. At this point, Ned stepped in and explained Erika's situation to ease their minds. All the while, Erika and Lukas stood there awkwardly. Shockingly to Lukas, his mother and brother were okay with it.

"I think she's beautiful. I love her wavy hair." Kielo smiled and took Erika's hands, "Oh! And such strong hands. I guess I should expect no less from an animal shapeshifter, especially a dragon. They're still so dainty too. This woman truly has the beauty of a young lady but the strength of a full-grown man. I'm very impressed."

Erika laughed sheepishly, "O-oh stop it. I'm not all that." She looked away with dark red cheeks.

"You're totally cool though! Dragon shapeshifters are extremely rare. Like the rarest of the rare shapeshifters." Leon gasped, "Dragons and dragon shapeshifters alike are legends!"

"I find dragons so pretty and majesty. And to meet a person who can shapeshift into those amazing, beautiful creatures is truly an honor." Emil had wide eyes, sparkling with excitement.

Erika's entire face finally flushed red and hid behind Ned, "Stop it! You're embarrassing me. Too many compliments." She whined.

"Aww she's so adorable and modest. I like her." Kielo cooed.

"Lukas, you're home. And you brought friends." A tall man with blonde hair and dark blue eyes came walking up the trail to the home.

"Oh Boden! You're home. Perfect." Kielo smiled.

Lukas held his brother close, causing Emil to squeak. "Hello father. How have you been? I hope you're protecting mother and Emil." He huffed.

Boden rolled his eyes, "I've been better. Who are these two people with you?"

"These are my colleagues, Nathaniel and Erika." Lukas gently placed Emil on the ground. The young boy went to cling to Leon.

"Charmed." Boden scoffed, "I'm assuming Nathaniel is your partner. What animal is he?"

Lukas looked away from his father, "Nathaniel is a wolf. But he is not my partner. Erika is. She is a dragon." He gulped. Boden glared daggers at Erika who gripped Ned's cloak out of fear for her life.

 **Finally, the fourth freaking chapter! I'm sure that's what you're all thinking. I would've gotten it out last week but I had an essay due this week so that was top priority. But since I love my readers, I made this chapter extra long (five pages on a word document). I am glad to be done with this chapter. Took me way too long. And even so, I still left ya on a cliffhanger. Because that's what I do best. Anyhow, until next time my fellow hetalians. Hasta la pasta! ~Churro**


	5. Chapter 5: Bonding

Lukas, his family and Erika were now inside the home, seated in the living room. Lukas' parents sat next to each other on the couch. Erika and Lukas sat across from them. Ned, Emil and Leon were sent back outside (as this was a 'family issue' and not meant for young ears).

Lukas and Boden had a glaring contest while Erika and Kielo sat there awkwardly. It was a waiting game to see who broke the ice first. Erika knew she'd be dead meat if she spoke first so she kept quiet. Boden straightened up.

"How did she get into the Cardinal Warriors?! She is a woman. Women aren't allowed to join the warriors. You know that!" Boden snapped.

 _So straight into yelling. This won't end well._ Erika thought nervously.

"Erika may be a woman but she is strong, fearless and loyal to her pack. She is a great asset to the warriors. Her and Nathaniel even took down a large feline beast who attacked our camp." Lukas huffed.

"Sir, I may be breaking the number one rule but I can assure you that I don't regret my decision. I've never been too fond of being a damsel-in-distress. That's not how my parents raised me." Erika gripped the skirt of her dress.

"Shut up you useless piece of trash! I don't care how strong you are. You are a woman. And their place is in the home." Boden scoffed.

"And birthing children?" Kielo muttered.

Boden paused, "Dear. Don't be like that. I love you and you know this."

"I question it sometimes. You don't see your boys as people. The only thing you care about is their strength and power. Any love they receive is from me or each other. I think they would've liked a father who cared about their feelings." Kielo hissed.

"You've never cared about Emil and me! And I will never forgive you for that. You can go rot in hell for all I care! Go back to where you belong." Lukas slammed his fist on the coffee table.

"Lukas, calm down." Erika grabbed his shoulder, "Your father may be a horrible person but he's still your flesh and blood. He helped give you life."

Lukas shoved her hand off, "Oh be quiet. It's not like you understand any of this." He glared at her.

Erika balled her hands off and slapped the short male across the face, "Don't you dare talk down to me. I am not a servant you can push around. I am your partner and we're meant to treat each with some respect. I may not understand this situation but I know what it's like to have a father who's frustrating." She stood up and walked out of the home. The blonde woman shapeshifted into her dragon form and darted off into the forest.

"You need to keep your lady happy dear." Kielo rubbed her temples and made Boden sit down.

Lukas scoffed, "She's not my girlfriend mother. Just a colleague and my partner." Kielo grabbed her son's ear. "Mother, I'm not a child!" He winced.

"Go find Erika and apologize young man!" Kielo ordered and pushed him towards the door. Lukas grumbled something incoherent and walked outside.

"What happened in there?" Ned grabbed his elbow.

"None of your business. If it were, you would've been in there." Lukas snorted and pulled his elbow away from the taller man.

"Why did she come out all mad? She had her cheeks puffed out." Emil blinked. Lukas just ruffled up his brother's hair and gazed at the forest.

"Father said something bad and I said something worse to her." Lukas sighed, "I'll be right back. Ned, what should I be looking for? A girl or a dragon."

"If she's angry, dragon. If she's upset, a girl. Which is it?" Ned shrugged, teasing Leon with a ball of yarn. The boy enjoyed it, even as a human.

Lukas ran a hand through his hair, "Well she snapped at me and then slapped me across the face. Your diagnosis?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Well you pissed her off but then you upset her. So look for a girl. Although be on the lookout for a red dragon." Ned replied, "By the way, congratulations. You have successfully done both. Pissed her off and upset her. Most can only do one or the other."

Lukas rolled his eyes, "Oh can it wolf boy. Anyhow, I'm off. Watch my family. If something bad happens, you're dead meat." He marched off into the forest.

 **xXx**

Lukas wondered through the forest for a while. He was having a lot of trouble finding her. The blonde decided to rest by a pond. And go figure, that's where Erika was. She was kneeling by the edge of the water. The girl had her hand in the water, playing with and teasing the fish.

"Hey there Erika." Lukas spoke up. Erika squeaked and fell into the pond.

Erika resurfaced, glaring at him. "What do you want pretty boy? Come to patronize me again?" Her hair was dripping wet. The water had caused her dress to become heavy. Because of this, her cleavage was much more apparent. Lukas bit his lip and looked away.

"N-no. I came to apologize for what I said. You were right. I shouldn't have treated you like that. You _are_ my partner and I should treat you with respect." Lukas rubbed his hands nervously. Erika stared at him before smirking and grabbing his hand, yanking him into the water.

"Thanks for the apology. But don't worry about it too much. I'm used to being looked down on, as a woman and all. Just don't do it in front of me." Erika snickered. Lukas gasped as he became soaked in water. He snickered and tackled her into the pond. A splash fight ensued between the two until they were drenched in water. Both waded out of the pond and laid on the ground.

"I hate you so much. But that was fun." Lukas breathed.

Erika laughed, "Really, ya liked something as childish as playing in a pond? It's nice to know you have a fun side to ya. I'm glad you had fun though. It's okay to mature but sometimes it's okay to act immature every once in a while."

Erika and Lukas relaxed for a little bit in comfortable silence. Eventually Lukas used a wind spell to dry off their clothes. He had started to get cold and was too impatient to wait for his clothes to dry.

"Anyhow, do you drink? I know of a good bar in town." Lukas asked. Erika raised an eyebrow.

"I mean yeah. I love me a good pint but what about Ned and your family?" She questioned.

"They'll be fine. My parents will figure out where we are." Lukas shrugged.

Erika thought for a moment, "Why the hell not?"

 **xXx**

Erika yawned, rubbing her eyes. Her head and lower body ached. She could hardly remember what happened the day before. All the blonde could remember was going to a bar with Lukas. Everything was fuzzy after that. Some sunlight streamed through the window, causing her to squint her eyes. Erika looked around, recognizing her current location as a bedroom. As she sat up and blankets fell to rest on her lap, she quickly noticed her clothes from the previous day scattered on the floor. The female felt her blood run cold as she looked down at her body, her _nude_ body. She turned to her left to see Lukas snoozing away on the other side of the bed. It didn't take long for her to connect the dots before screaming at the top of her lungs. This woke up Lukas, causing him fall off the bed with a grunt. Lukas sat up on the floor, looking over the bed and at Erika who immediately covered her body with the blanket. He blinked a couple times until he clicked the pieces together.

"Oh my god. We didn't . . ." Lukas gulped.

"We did _it_! _IT_!" Erika whined.

"God dammit, this wasn't supposed to happen!" Lukas groaned and face palmed.

Erika glared at him, "Ya think I wanted this to happen?! You stole my virginity! And in a drunken state no less." She whined, "I'm not pure anymore."

Lukas raised an eyebrow, "Oh now you care about being a girl?" Erika huffed and threw a pillow at his face, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Just because I don't act girly doesn't mean some girly things don't bother me! I do care about my looks and I do care about losing my virginity to the right guy. A guy that I'm committed to." Erika hissed, "But now I'm not pure." She sniffled. Despite being unbelievably pissed off, Lukas couldn't handle of the strongest people he knew break down in tears. He crawled back onto the bed and pulled Erika in for a hug. She fought away from the hug for a minute before surrendering and clinging to Lukas, crying her eyes out. Lukas bit his lip and gently rubbed her back.

"I know this sucks but we gotta deal with this. I will stay with you, even marry you if that'll please your parents after taking your virginity." He murmured.

"Break that promise and you're a dead man." Erika mumbled, wiping away some loose tears.

 **xXx**

The two figured out that they had ended up back at Lukas' family home, which only further embarrassed Erika. Lukas assured that he would clear anything up. After picking up their clothes and changing into different outfits, they headed downstairs. Kielo was going about the kitchen, as if nothing was wrong. Emil was chatting with Leon at the table. Ned was helping Kielo with the cooking.

"Good morning mother." Lukas yawned.

"Morning sweetheart, Erika." Kielo smiled and handed them some hot tea.

Ned smirked at them, "So. Did you two enjoy yourselves last night?" He snickered.

Both Lukas and Erika turned a deep red color. "Sh-shut up Ned. That's none of your business." Erika pouted, sipping her tea.

"I'm glad you two could bond; you two make an adorable couple." Kielo cooed.

Lukas gulped, "Mother, stop it! We really don't want to talk about it, please." He mumbled, "However, I promise her that I will stay with her. Maybe even marry her if I have to . . ."

Emil gasped and put his hands on his cheeks, "Wha!? You two are gonna get married?"

"Not right now! We're just, kinda a couple of sorts." Lukas shook his head vigorously.

"Can I help you plan your wedding if you have one?" Kielo asked eagerly.

Lukas blushed, "Y-yes you can. Now drop the topic, please!

Kielo laughed and ruffled up her eldest son's hair.

 **xXx**

"So, did you make sure to get them drunk?" A tall, pale man stared into a giant glass orb, speaking to a short brunette man.

"Y-yes sir." The shorter man stammered.

"Good. Did you put the potion in their drinks?" The pale man smiled.

The brunette handed him a vile, "Of course sir." He nodded.

The taller man smirked, "Excellent. Everything has fallen into place. Two of the strongest cardinals this generation has cooked up. Let's see if you can handle what I'm about to throw at you two lovebirds. Will you be able to stay together?"

 **Who is this mysterious man? Honestly it's probably so obvious. XD Anyhow, that's the fifth chapter done. And no, this isn't the plot twist. I'm gonna drop the bomb soon. I am looking forward to it. I hope you liked this chapter. Until next time fellow hetalians, hasta la pasta. ~Churro**


	6. Chapter 6: Reveal

For three months, team Lukas and team Matthew camped out in the village. Their fourth month there, Julchen arrived in the village for a check up. At Lukas' family home, the foursome met up to get ready. Kielo helped Erika get ready while the boys changed in the living room.

"So no one mentions Erika's gender or our relationship, got it?" Lukas ordered.

"When did you guys hook up? I never knew this was a thing." Matthew blinked.

Ned smirked, "Rika and him had a night at the bar and got to know each other in the craziness." Lukas' face turned a deep crimson red and he chucked a pillow at Ned.

"Shush! We don't speak of that. You promised not to talk about it!" Lukas hissed.

"Aww you and Erika make a lovely couple." Matthew chuckled. Lukas balled up his fists and looked down at his feet.

"We aren't a couple. I've made that perfectly clear haven't I?" He muttered.

"Then why do you two act like one? Especially with all the love making that I have to listen to." Ned raised an eyebrow.

"I'm just there to support her like any good friend would! She isn't my girlfriend." Lukas snapped.

"Mm hmm, sure." Matthew winked, "You keep telling yourself that." Before Lukas could make a remark, there was a knock on the door. Kielo ran to answer it.

"Hallo there Miss." Julchen's voice could be heard.

"Hi there miss Julchen. Please come in. The boys are in the living room." Kielo smiled. Julchen thanked her and walked inside. A young girl with two blonde braids and large blue eyes followed quietly behind the albino. The little blonde wore a light green, long sleeved shirt under a dark green dress along with white pants and brown boots. Julchen made her way into the living room.

"It's nice to see you again boys." Julchen smirked.

"The pleasure is ours." Matthew bowed and straightened up.

"Who's trouble there?" Ned questioned.

Julchen smiled proudly, "This is my super cool lil sister Monika. She's my partner in crime." Monika rolled her eyes and yawned.

"Big brother!" Emil ran up to Lukas and hugged his legs.

"Oh my god. That kid is adorable!" Julchen gasped.

Lukas gently petted Emil's hair, "This is my brother Emil. He's ten and I'm twenty."

"Anyhow, introductions aside. Let's get down to business. Where's the rookie?" Julchen put on a serious face after composing herself.

"Mathias isn't feeling well. He'll be down in a little bit." Ned explained.

"Alright then. Just fill him in on what we came to inform you all of." Monika nodded curtly.

"Of course. We'll make to pass the message along." Matthew smiled. They all sat down in a circle in the living room. Kielo served them some sandwiches and tea. Emil amused himself on Lukas' lap (as the boy refused to leave his brother and Lukas didn't want his mother dealing with a temper tantrum).

"So we've got a bigger threat. Worse than a bunch of blood thirsty creatures attacking villages. A powerful rogue wizard is attempting to take over any land outside of city and castle. So basically the entire forest at the center of the Cardinal island. He is kidnapping strong warriors, cardinal wizards and strong animal shapeshifters and brainwashing them to use in his personal army. Several wizards and shapeshifters of the West and South have already been abducted. Our goal now to fight off and hopefully save fellow warriors and innocent people before this large army of mind controlled zombies reduces our Eastern and Northern forces. They've been going from village to village. That's why I'm here with my sister. This village is next on this man's checklist and we're here to help you defend it." Julchen laid out a map and told a detailed explanation of what was happening.

"Brother I'm scared. I don't want you to be taken away!" Emil sniffled and hugged his brother's stomach. Lukas sighed and stroked Emil's hair.

"Don't worry. I'm stronger than all those bad people. I'll fight them off." Lukas whispered. A frantic knocking was heard at the front door. Kielo stepped out of the kitchen to answer it.

"Miss Applegate, what's the matter?" Kielo blinked. The older woman grabbed Kielo's hands.

"Kielo hide your little boy! Some awful men have stormed into the village and are taking any wizard they see." Miss Applegate panicked.

"Mother, go hide with Emil. We'll handle this." Lukas instructed, "Matt get down here! We have an issue." He shouted. Erika ran downstairs.

"We're off." Ned said once he stopped Erika from falling over. The foursome headed outside and inside the village. Erika was pale and dressed in a purple tunic, white pants and black boots.

"Are you feeling okay Rika?" Matthew asked worriedly.

Erika coughed, "I'm fine. I'll be able to shapeshift." She smiled. The company ran to the heart of the village. A tall man with platinum blonde hair and violet colored eyes stood on the bride that connected the two halves of the village.

"Who is that?" Ned raised an eyebrow.

"That's the wizard I told you about." Julchen pulled out a sword, "His name is Ivan Braginsky. A heartless rank elite wizard who turned against the warriors." She huffed.

"Rank . . . elite?" Lukas paused. He was only rank A and Matthew was rank B. There was no way they could take this man right here and now.

"Hello fellow warriors." Ivan turned around to smile at them.

"What do you want?" Julchen huffed as Monika ushered villagers out of the area.

Ivan walked away from the bridge and up to them. He reached out and grabbed Erika by the throat, "This is what I want." Erika coughed and struggled, trying to pry the man's hand off her neck.

"Put him down! That's my partner." Lukas made a staff appear. It was wooden and a navy blue with a red jewel on the tip.

Ivan laughed, "You mean her? What is a beautiful woman doing surrounded by filthy men? She could become impure."

"WHAT?! SHE IS A HE!?" Julchen and Monika were in shock. Erika struggled a little more before finally freeing herself from Ivan.

"Yeah I'm a woman. That's the biggest reveal." Erika scoffed. Lukas put a hand on her shoulder.

"Erika, we need you to transform." Lukas whispered. The tall female nodded curtly and walked up in front of Ivan who just smiled. Nothing happened. This caused Erika to panic.

"Why is nothing happening?" Matthew gulped and bit his lip.

"There's only two reasons why she can't transform. Either she's injured or she's . . . baring a child." Ned explained, "That would explain her sickness this morning."

"W-wha?! No, no!" Erika panicked, "That can't be . . . how . . ." She put a hand over her stomach and gasped when she felt fluttering which confirmed Ned's explanation.

"Who's the strongest shapeshifter now?" Ivan chuckled.

Erika puffed out her cheeks as she began to tear up, "You planned this. You planned this! All of this is your doing." She hissed.

"Are you saying you don't want your baby?" Ivan gently caressed her cheek. Erika pushed the hand away, tears now streaming down her face.

"I'm not heartless enough to kill a baby!" She whined and collapsed to her knees crying. Ned shoved Lukas forward (the blonde had been standing there in shock at the news of Erika's pregnancy).

"Ivan may have planned this but you were the one who made the baby a reality. You need to support her." Ned huffed, "I will not allow the man who took her virginity be a coward." Lukas glared at the taller male. However, he knew the man was right. It is shameful to abandon the woman that is carrying your child. And Lukas knew his father would angrier if he left Erika alone to care for the child than the fact that Lukas lost his virginity without getting married first.

Lukas went up to Erika and knelt by her, wrapping a protective arm around Erika's waist and pulling her closer. He glared up at Ivan.

"I will _not_ allow you to hurt Erika or the baby in any way." Lukas pulled Erika to her feet. Ivan whipped out a black wooden staff adorned with a white jewel and hit Lukas with it, throwing the smaller man back and grabbing Erika's arm.

"Who ever said I'd hurt her? However, thank you for the idea. I'll keep it in mind." Ivan smiled.

"Erika!" Lukas shouted, reaching out for her.

Erika copied his actions, "Lukas!" She whined. Ivan tapped his staff on the ground and he disappeared with Erika in a cloud of smoke.

"NO!" Lukas slammed his fists on the ground. He growled and held back tears. Erika had been the first girl to not fear his magic and treat him like a normal person. He was oddly pleased she was the one carrying his child.

"L-Lukas, are you doing okay?" Matthew gulped. Lukas raised his head and pushed himself to his feet.

"I made a vow to Erika. After that night at the bar and finding out we ended up in the same bed, I promised her that I would be there for her." Lukas turned to the group, "Whether you help me or not, I am going to save that girl and the child she's carrying. And after that, I will continue to stay by her side. I am not one to break a promise." Matthew, Julchen and Monika looked between each other. Ned, however, put a hand on Lukas' head.

"Erika is like a second sister to me. Practically family. I'll help ya." Ned shrugged. Matthew went to stand next to Lukas.

"Count me in. I've always wanted to go on rescue mission." Matthew smiled, "Plus it gives me a chance to finally show up my brother Alfred." He snickered. Lukas looked over at Julchen and Monika, awaiting their answer. He didn't really expect them to help. After all, they always followed the rules.

"I'd be angry that a girl joined the Cardinals under the radar. I would throw her out. However, she helped defend the camp. She risked being found out to protect others. That takes guts, especially for a lady." Julchen put her sword away, "I'll help you find her. In return, I expect you to take time off and help her through the pregnancy." She smirked.

"You use my magical abilities against me. You're cruel. But that's fair, especially if the offer is coming from you." Lukas rolled his eyes.

Julchen turned to Monika, "And you. You will keep your mouth shut. You will not inform father of Erika's issue. Tattle tailing will threaten the lives of Erika and her child. As of right now, Erika is Mathias and was kidnapped like all the other warriors by the rouge wizard."

"You're insane big sister." Monika scoffed.

Julchen huffed, "Are you gonna cooperate or not?"

"I won't say anything. I promise. Although, you do realize once you find Erika and her secret is exposed, father and the other generals are going to decide her fate. You may lose your position as commander just to help a girl who broke the number one rule." Monika explained.

"It will be worth it." Julchen brushed it off and winked at Lukas, "I'm in. What's your plan pretty boy?"

Lukas nodded and took everyone back to his family home to plan a safe rescue for Erika and the unborn child. 'I _will_ find you Erika. I'll sacrifice my own life if it means you and the baby are safe.' He thought.

 **And the bomb has been dropped. Julchen knows Erika's secret and Erika is expecting Lukas' child. Lots of sh*t just happened. The mysterious man is none other than Ivan. I really didn't want to make him the villain but I love Sweden too much to make him evil so Russia was my last option.**

 **The knowledge of the unborn fetus now injects some fun into the story. I have decided to let you, my readers, decide the gender of the DenNor child. I have a boy's name and girl's name picked out, as well as their appearance. You comment whether you want it to be a boy or a girl. I will keep this voting going until the baby is born, which won't be for a few chapters so that's lots of time to decide. Until next time, my fellow Hetalians, hasta la pasta! ~Churro**


	7. Chapter 7: Problem and Solution

Erika yawned and rubbed her eyes. She looked down at what she was wore. The blonde was dressed in a black dress with flowy sleeves and black flats. She put a hand on her stomach; it was showing just a little bit. Erika smiled but it quickly disappeared when she observed the room she was in. It was dark, only lit by candles. Dripping sounds were heard echoing in the background. Much like a cave.

"Ah, you're awake. Lovely. I hope you slept well." Ivan knelt in front of her. Erika huffed and turned away from him.

"Why am I in different clothes and why do you want me? I'm just a woman." She scoffed.

Ivan gently patted her head, "I'm sure you know this but dragon shapeshifters are rare. And a female dragon shapeshifter are even rarer. A dragon would be an excellent asset to my army. I'm aware female shapeshifters can't shapeshift while pregnant. So I'll patiently wait until you have the baby before I put you into my army. It's that simple."

"You disgust me." Erika snorted, "If I have my baby here, what will you do with it? My baby."

Ivan shrugged, "Not sure. I may just raise as my own." This comment caused Erika to become enraged.

"You asshole! This baby belongs to Lukas and I. It may have been planned by you but it's ours. I will fight you for it. I'll die if it means my baby doesn't get raised by you!" Erika hissed, "My baby will be raised right. Not led down the path of evil!" Ivan simply grabbed Erika's shoulder and pushed her against a wall.

"Calm down miss. You'll stress out the baby out and that'll lead to health problems for it?" Ivan smiled, "Now, I have something else to attend to. My servant Tolys will take care of you. Good day." He let her go and left the room. A brunette man with shoulder length hair and emerald green eyes stepped into the room. He wore a red vest with a white long-sleeved shirt underneath with dark blue pants and black boots. He looked nervous and seemed to be shaking.

"Hallo Tolys . . .?" Erika waved slightly. Tolys straightened up and bowed to her.

"I am so sorry! It's all my fault." He stammered. Erika just stared at him in bewilderment.

"Uh what are you talking about?" She raised an eyebrow, "I just met you."

Tolys gulped, "I was the bartender at the pub you and Lukas went to. I put a potion into your drinks. It was meant to up your sex drive. It was also a fertility potion that guarantees a baby would be conceived." He explained.

Erika blinked, "Huh. Go figure. Of course I'd be tricked by magic. I'm shocked Lukas didn't notice anything suspicious. I guess he isn't the perfect rank A wizard he thinks he is."

"Eh?! You aren't angry or anything? I feel like I've ruined your life!" Tolys gasped.

Erika shrugged, "Well I wouldn't say you ruined it. You just made things unbalanced. But that's nothing I can't fix. I'll try to keep myself from turning into a full-time housewife. I just need ya to make a promise."

Tolys bit his lip, "W-what is your request miss Erika? I'll do anything to make it up to you."

Erika smirked, "If you can affect a person's body then I can assume you're a good medic."

"Y-yeah. Spot on. I know good healing magic and basically a doctor." Tolys blushed sheepishly.

"Then I'll ask this of you; when Lukas rescues me, I want you to come with us and help me take care of the baby. Kinda like my personal nurse." Erika smiled.

"Really?! You want me to help you with the baby? B-but I work with the enemy! Doesn't that phase you!?" Tolys panicked. Erika walked up to him and put her hands on his shoulders.

"Tolys, my good man, you need to relax. I trust you because you admitted being at fault. A cute and skittish man like you wouldn't hurt a child." Erika spoke calmly.

Tolys nodded, "Okay. I'll do it. I'll help you with the baby, now and when you're rescued." He blushed. Erika put on a huge grin and slung an arm around him.

"So, now that that is out of the way, tell me about yourself. Where you're from, your family, any friends, etc. I want to get to know ya." She snickered.

Tolys gulped but nodded. He had her sit down on the bed. "I was born and raised in the North side of the Northern mountains. My people are known as mountain fairies due to our magical powers to freeze and create snow. My parents died when I was little, leaving me to take care of two little sisters. My sisters and a girl from the Northern kingdom, Kaska, were my only friends growing up. I'm rivals with General Beilschmidt's oldest daughter Julchen. We may butt heads a lot but we do understand each other.

"Anyhow, when I was a young teen, Kaska brought me into the kingdom and taught me some magic. She focused on healing magic. Mountain fairies are said to be dangerous so Kaska taught me healing magic and about healing herbs in the forests to hopefully give my people a good name. And she was successful. For a while my people could freely roam the northern forests and the kingdom. Then Ivan came around and put mountain fairies back into the dark, taking me under his wing to care for his brainwashed soldiers.

"I haven't seen Kaska or my sisters since this incident. I worry about them all the time. I wish I could leave this mountain but Ivan won't let me unless he's accompanying me or if he's sending me on a mission. I'm practically a slave to him." Tolys was tearing up and gripping the end of his vest when he stopped talking. Erika had become a sobbing mess. She blamed the hormones. The blonde pulled Tolys in for a tight hug. Tolys' face ended up against her cleavage.

"You poor, poor thing! First you lost your parents, then you dealt with discrimination and then got your happy life destroyed, which separated you from the people you love. And now you're a slave to a horrible wizard. Your life has just been a downward spiral!" Erika whined, "I promise to treat you well and help you find your loved ones."

Tolys gulped, "You'd do that?! You'll help me find my sisters and friend?" He looked up at her.

"Of course. You'll have to wait a little bit since I'd need to recover from birthing my child. But I promise I will personally help you find them." Erika sniffled.

"You're a wonderful person Erika. I swear, I won't let you down." Tolys smiled and pecked both her cheeks, "Everything will be okay."

 **xXx**

Two months had past and Lukas still had no trace of Erika or Ivan. This made him slightly paranoid. Losing Erika caused Lukas to have some feelings he's never had before. He was worrying and frankly, very scared. The blonde didn't want anything bad to happen to Erika or the baby she was carrying.

Ned, somehow, managed to calm down and helped Lukas keep a level head throughout the journey. One day, before resting for the night, Lukas and company stopped in a village to stock up on supplies. Matthew walked in between Julchen and Ned. Lukas took a spot next to Ned when traveling. While chatting with Ned about something unimportant, Lukas bumped into a brunette man and a pregnant blonde woman. The short blonde stumbled onto the ground.

"My sincerest apologies sir. I wasn't looking were I was going." The brunette offered a hand to Lukas who accepted the help.

"It's fine. No harm done. We both must've been in a daze." Lukas got back on his feet. He glanced at the expecting woman who clutched onto the brunette man's other arm. She wore a pale red dress with a tan cloak. The hood covered her eyes but wavy blonde locks were seen draping over her shoulder.

"Dear, it's alright. Are you feeling okay?" The brunette glanced at her, "Well I better be getting her home. She can't be on her feet for too long. It was nice meeting you sir." He smiled, releasing Lukas' hand and disappeared with the woman into the forest.

"That was really awkward." Julchen raised an eyebrow, "And extremely suspicious."

"They seemed like a nice couple." Matthew smiled. Lukas rolled his eyes and looked down at his hand. The man had left a tiny scroll in his hand.

"What the . . ." Lukas blinked and undid the scroll. He scanned through it before gasping and whirling around to look back at the woods.

"What is it pretty boy?" Ned questioned.

Lukas gulped, "That was Erika!" He gripped the piece of paper in his hand.

"Oh my gosh. S-she was right there and none of us knew it!" Matthew stammered, "We should go after them. Before it's too late!"

Julchen held both Lukas and Matthew back, "No. We won't. We have no idea who that man was. He could be a strong shapeshifter or a powerful mage. Lukas, what does the note say?"

"It says exactly where Erika is, through a riddle." Lukas glanced down at the note, " _If it is her you seek, look up at the sky, then look side to side. If you glance around, you'll see something nearby usually hidden to the eye. Only someone with magic can see it for more than just a little bit. It is something tall and strange but very obvious with minor change._ "

"He made it rhyme. Must be a wizard." Matthew blinked and glanced around, "Oh! I see it. It's a field hidden in the trees and covered with sunflowers."

"It's something pleasant. That's a good coverup for an underground lair." Lukas smirked, "However, Ivan doesn't seem to have common sense despite being a rank elite wizard."

"I'm guessing that man is not brainwashed and fully aware what's going on. And does not like what Ivan is planning. He's a minion gone rogue and helping the people who are meant to do a good deed against Ivan." Julchen concluded.

"Let's gather supplies and rest for the night. We'll need our strength to defeat Ivan and save Erika without harming her." Ned suggested.

"Good plan. We'll set off in the morning." Lukas nodded in agreement, "Don't worry Erika. We're coming for you. You'll be safe again."

 **Seven chapters and I'm still nowhere close to completing the plot. XD However, this is one of my favorite chapters. Fact: Lithuania's real human name is Tolys, not Toris. English translation got the name wrong. Toris isn't a real name but Tolys is an actual Lithuanian name so I will be using that name. Tolys = Lithuania. Anyhow, until next time my fellow hetalians. Hasta la pasta! ~Churro**


	8. Chapter 8: You, Yourself & Me

Erika laid in bed reading a book, the book propped on her stomach. She had seen Lukas the day before. Her and Tolys had, quite literally, bumped into Lukas. Tolys had recommended not to say anything and instead gave her partner a note that gave clues of where she was. This upset her, as she hadn't seen Lukas, Matthew or Ned in two months.

"Miss Erika?" Tolys peeked into the room. Erika squeaked and looked up at him.

"O-oh. Hallo Tolys. Please, come in. You don't have to be so polite." Erika bit her lip and set the book down, "I hope Lukas understood the riddle . . ."

"If he's a wizard like you say he is, he'll understand. Wizards read books and books of spells written in the old language. Riddles are nothing compared to the spells we learn." Tolys smiled, stepping into the room. Erika gulped but paused when she heard people around outside.

"Sir Ivan! We have intruders. Intruders!" One shouted. Erika's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"They're here! Lukas figured it out." She cooed.

Tolys chuckled, "Told ya he'd figure it out. The man isn't that clueless."

 **xXx**

Lukas easily found the hatch to the cave. He didn't hesitate to break it open and jump down. Matthew warned the older blonde that stealth would be the best option. Lukas ignored Matthew and proceeded with his main objective: get in, save Erika and get out. The four paced through the dark halls of the underground lair. Julchen paused when she heard giggling and talking. Following Lukas' previous actions, she kicked down the door.

"Why can't we just be quiet?" Matthew pouted.

"Because that's no fun Matt." Ned smirked. Lukas pushed passed Julchen to see Erika chatting with the brunette man he saw yesterday. He took in her features. Erika had grown out her hair, sunny waves draped over one shoulder. Lukas quickly took note of her swollen stomach. It was obvious that she was pregnant unlike the last time he saw her two months ago.

"Erika . . ." Lukas spoke softly. Erika paused and looked up at Lukas.

"Lukas! You've come to rescue me like a knight saving the fair maiden." Erika grinned. Lukas walked over to her, bending down to her height (as she was sitting down) and forcefully pulled her in for a tight hug, being careful of her middle. He had never missed a girl other than his mother. Hearing Erika's voice again and seeing her with a large smile made Lukas feel . . . at peace.

"You dumbass . . ." Lukas mumbled. Erika's eye twitched.

"Excuse me?! I am the one carrying your child and that's how you greet me?" Erika huffed. Lukas pulled away and placed his index fingers on her lips.

"You made me miss you. What sort of powers do you possess to make me miss you?" Lukas muttered. Erika blushed and looked away.

"No magic. It just means you like me." She smiled sheepishly. Lukas stood up and looked at Tolys.

"Who is this man and why were you being friendly with him?" Lukas huffed and glared daggers at the brunette who gulped, shifting in his spot.

"Lukas, don't be rude to him. He is the one that gave you that riddle to help you find me." Erika rolled her eyes, "This is Tolys. He is a wizard, like you. He has been treating me well and kept an close eye on the baby."

"A wizard huh? What's your rank Toris?" Lukas raised an eyebrow.

"It's Tolys and I'm a rank A but I tip on the edge between A and B." Tolys bit his lip, "My specialties are healing magic and ice magic."

"Ice magic?" Matthew gasped, "You're a mountain fairy! People who freeze and kill innocent people." Lukas became alarmed at this revelation, grabbing Erika's wrist and pulling her to her feet. He pushed her behind him.

"P-please. I mean no harm. That's a horrible stereotype. I'd never hurt anyone." Tolys stood up and reached a hand out to Erika. Lukas slapped his hand away.

"Don't touch her!" Lukas snapped. He knew ice magic was powerful and wasn't gonna risk Erika's nor the baby's life. Erika grew irritated and shoved Lukas away.

"He speaks the truth, asshole! Tolys is not a violent person. I told you he's been taking care of me and the baby! He is cautious and gentle." Erika snapped. Tolys started to shake. Erika went up to him and hugged the brunette.

"I'm not horrible. I'm not violent." Tolys sniffled. Erika shushed him and gently rubbed his back. Everyone stared in awe, especially Ned and Lukas. Ned had never seen Erika be so . . . gentle. Growing up, Erika enjoyed rough-housing and never liked being hugged (even if she was an affectionate person). This was a side of her that he had never really experienced. As for Lukas, he didn't think Erika could be compassionate. She didn't seem too fond of him before the pond incident. He kind of liked this side of her though. From how she was treating Tolys gave him a glimpse of what she may be like as a mother.

"I'm sorry Tolys. I apologize for treating you badly. I just don't want the people I care about to get hurt." Lukas brushed some of his hair out of his face, fiddling with his cross pin.

Tolys relaxed and looked at Lukas over Erika's shoulder, "I forgive you. You did what any father would in a dangerous situation. You just want what's best for the child and the mother." He smiled.

Lukas nodded and held out a hand, "I appreciate your help and for taking care of Erika. She's become a large part of my life and I don't think I could go on without her." Tolys let go of Erika and accepted the handshake.

"It was my pleasure. You've picked a lovely girl to spend your days with and be the mother of your child." Tolys blushed shyly.

"Now Lukas, don't talk to him like you're never gonna see him again. He's coming with us. I asked him to help me with the baby. Like a personal nurse." Erika giggled.

"Eh?! When did you decide this?" Lukas pulled his hand away from Tolys.

"Some two months ago when I first met him. You've got a problem with this?" Erika grabbed his ear, "I am real hormonal right now. I was nice and kept my anger at bay as to not scare Tolys. But don't think you're safe from my temper. I will rip your head off if you piss me off."

Tolys smiled nervously but quickly became more alert. He grabbed Erika's shoulders and pulled her away from Lukas who reacted instantly, pulling out his staff to deflect a magical beam. Julchen pushed Ned and Matthew into the room, pulling out her sword. Matthew made his staff appear; a mahogany red staff with a purple jewel at the tip of it. Ivan appeared in the room, wielding his staff.

"How dare you try and steal away my precious soldier?" Ivan pouted.

Lukas griped his staff, "She is not yours. And neither is the baby." He stepped in front of Erika.

"I'm a rank elite. Do you really think you, a rank A, can take me down?" Ivan smiled.

"Ned, Julchen. You get Erika out of here. Tolys and Matthew will stay with me to deal with this bastard." Lukas ordered. Erika panicked and grabbed Lukas' hand.

"Please don't do this! I don't want you getting hurt." Erika gulped, "What if he kills you?! I want to raise my child with you." Lukas cupped her cheeks and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

"Relax Erika." Lukas said as he pulled away, "I will not allow him to do any such thing to me. Now go. Keep the baby safe." Erika nodded. Ned took her hand and swiftly led her out of the room.

"Lukas, this is insane. We can't kill him." Matthew whispered.

Lukas shrugged, "Never said I'd kill him. That's where Tolys comes into play."

"Tolys, you betrayed me. You will pay!" Ivan's eyes turned red.

"I-I can't use my ice powers if that's what you're saying! I have to be emotionally stable to use them." Tolys panicked as he barely blocked an attack by Ivan with his staff. Tolys had a dark green staff with a yellow gem.

"Allow us to guide you." Lukas knocked Ivan back with a spell. Tolys nodded.

 **xXx**

Erika, Ned and Julchen waited anxiously at the edge of the field of sunflowers. Erika was in tears. She finally got to see Lukas again and already he threw himself head first into danger. She feared he wouldn't come back and would have to break the news to his family as well as raise the baby without him there.

"Erika, chin up. Look!" Julchen put a hand on her shoulder. Erika sniffled and snapped her head up. With the help of Matthew and Tolys, Lukas limped out of the underground lair. All three were terribly bruised up and covered in cuts. Once they got close enough, Erika yanked Lukas in for a tight hug.

"Easy Erika. He's got a broken rib and a ton of bruises on his abdomen." Tolys chuckled. Lukas was clearly in a lot of pain but didn't seem to mind, resting a hand on Erika's swollen stomach. Both suddenly pulled away and looked down the blonde woman's bump.

"Is something wrong?" Julchen raised an eyebrow.

"No." Erika suddenly had a huge grin on her face, "The baby just kicked!" She cooed.

Matthew gasped, "Really? That's wonderful. What does it feel like?"

Erika blinked, "I don't know. It's kinda like a light fluttering. Like when you get nervous and you get the butterflies in your stomach."

Tolys smiled, "And the kicks will only get stronger up until you give birth. Most women don't feel the baby kick until their six or seventh month. So I can tell this baby is gonna be a troublemaker."

"Oh that is so exciting!" Erika giggled softly. Lukas bit his lip. Erika was being so cute, a trait she lacked prior to her pregnancy.

"So Lukey boy. When's the wedding?" Julchen winked.

"That is not my concern right now! Don't ask me about that . . ." Lukas' face turn a deep red.

"Commander, you should be more concerned about how you're gonna handle all this. Erika is a woman who went undercover to fight as a Cardinal." Matthew bit his lip. Julchen pouted and looked away with a huff. Tolys blinked and glanced up at Julchen, quickly recognizing her.

"You." Tolys glared at her and whistled, something bothered Ned. Two wolves ran to his sides as he pulled out a sword.

"I knew I remembered your girly face." Julchen smirked. A second later, Tolys slashed the albino's cheek with his sword.

"And I was hoping that I would never have to subject myself to being in your presence." Tolys scoffed, "Your pale skin and white hair makes me want to gag myself. You are not pleasant to look at." Julchen's face turned as red as the blood dripping down her cheek as she yanked her hair up into a ponytail.

"You're still as irritating as ever. Your hair does not help. Allow me to cut it for you." Julchen pulled out two daggers.

"Stop it you two!" Erika snapped, knocking their heads together, "Put your differences aside for now and allow this company to travel safely back home."

"Y-yes miss." Tolys stammered.

Julchen rubbed her head, "Alright fine. No need to be violent." She gulped.

"I don't like Erika's newfound temper. I knew it was bad but this is so much worse." Matthew whispered to Ned as he balanced Lukas' unconcise body on his back.

"Just don't get on her bad side. And don't do anything to piss her off." Ned put a hand on the shorter male's shoulder, "Her and the baby's safety should be our main worry right now."

 **And as requested, I made Lukas Erika's knight in shining armor and had him be a badass (or tried to). I am terrible at fight scenes so I apologize if the fight between Ivan and Lukas wasn't as epic as it could be. But I made up for it with a fluffy moment between our main couple, as well as the head butting between Tolys and Julchen. I remembered Lithuania and Prussia hate each other so I incorporated that rivalry. Anyhow, until next time my fellow hetalians. Hasta la pasta! ~Churro.**


	9. Chapter 9: The Down Low

The trip back to Lukas' village was a bit rocky. Tolys and Julchen fought constantly. Erika dealt her hormones and carrying more weight in her front. This was a huge issue, as Erika's motivation and energy is what dictated how far they got each day. They had horses but it was difficult to get Erika on and off. Tolys told the group constantly that the baby was perfectly healthy. But did recommend that Erika should rest when she needed it.

"Stress and a growing baby is never a good match. It could lead to the mother getting sick and premature labor with several health issues and/or birth defects that would quickly follow." Tolys was once again scolding the group while Erika took a nap.

"I understand that but we won't get back to the village until winter if we keep going at this pace! It's the middle of fall and we got a month until winter hits." Julchen hissed.

"Either we keep this pace or Erika loses her baby. Would you want to be responsible for her losing her first child?" Tolys raised an eyebrow.

Julchen snorted and looked away, "Of course I don't want a baby to die. It would be like sending my sister to her grave . . ."

"Sister?" A head of blonde hair rode up to them on a black horse, "Did you achieve your mission?" She questioned.

Julchen froze, "H-hey Monika. Yes, we did achieve our goal. We saved Erika and Ivan has been shut up, at least for now. We were heading back to Lukas' village now but we're moving at a very slow pace." She explained.

Monika sniffled a laugh, "You're close than you think." She hopped off her horse and pulled away some branches, revealing the familiar village just a short walking distance away.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Julchen groaned and punched the nearest tree, "Tolys, you've been leading us in circles for the past month, you asshole!" She glared at him.

"I asked him to." Lukas spoke up, "Erika said she had been feeling sick so I was monitoring her health."

"If that were the case, we could've just brought her into the damn village so real doctors could've taken care of her!" Julchen snapped.

"I am an actual doctor." Tolys muttered.

"Shut up four eyes. You don't count." Julchen scoffed.

"I do not wear glasses all the time!" Tolys argued.

Julchen shrugged, "You still wear them so case closed. My insult still stands."

Monika face palmed, "Just wake Erika up and I'll give you a personal escort back home." She huffed.

Lukas nodded curtly, "Of course. Thank you for your hospitality." He walked over to Erika who was resting up against a tree. The blonde male gently shook the woman's shoulder. Erika moaned sleepily in response, rubbing her eyes with an irritated expression.

"Who dares to wake me up?" Erika huffed and glanced up at Lukas, quickly changing her toon, "Oh it was just you Luke. I thought you were Ned or Matthew." She cooed and pecked his cheek.

"No fair, she's so nice to you." Matthew pouted.

"Are you the baby's father. No, I think not." Lukas gave the boy a cheeky smirk, "Babies can hear just about everything so I want to be a good father even now."

"Aww that's so sweet." Tolys smiled.

Erika looked at Lukas, "So why did you wake me up? Is it important?" She asked curiously.

"We're heading back to the village now." Lukas pulled Erika to her feet.

"Oh, okay." Erika yawned.

"She's up. We're off then." Monika rolled her eyes.

 **xXx**

"Oh Lukas, my boy!" Kielo ran up to Lukas and hugged him tightly, "You're okay. I'm so happy you're okay!" She swallowed thickly.

"Of course I'm okay." Lukas puffed out his cheeks, embracing his mother with one arm.

"Whoa! Your belly is so big." Emil gasped, glancing up at Erika.

' _You are so lucky that you're Lukas' brother. Or else you would've been at the mercy of my rage.'_ Erika thought to herself, extremely irritated by the boy's comment.

"Emil be nice! That's your little niece or nephew in her belly." Kielo frowned.

"I'm sorry big sister Erika." Emil gulped. Erika put a hand on the boy's head.

"It's okay. You didn't mean to be rude. Just keeping calling me big sister." She smiled.

Emil giggled and hugged her arm, "Okay big sister."

Lukas smirked, "You just like being called big sister, don't ya?"

Erika pouted and poked Lukas' cheek, "I can't help not having any lil siblings. Let me have this."

"You better please your pregnant lady friend, Luke." Kielo chuckled.

"She's not my girlfriend. Don't assume things mother." Lukas looked away, blushing profusely.

"Yes I am. Admit it!" Erika teased, nuzzling the top of his head.

 **(AN: Don't forget Erika is taller than Lukas. I almost did. XD)**

"Whatever you want it to be called. As long as you don't touch my hair without permission." Lukas mumbled. Erika grinned and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. This only caused the shorter male's face to darken.

"You two are so precious." Kielo clapped her hands together.

"Mother, where's father?" Lukas bit his lip.

"He went to do some trading for our village so he won't be back for a couple weeks." Kielo stated, "However, there are some people who want to see you." She chuckled. Lukas raised an eyebrow but glanced behind his mother. Two young man were running up to them. One was a caramel colored brunette and the other a blonde.

"Ah, Vladimir and Arthur." Lukas waved to his friends.

"Lulu! It's so good to see you." Vladimir cheered, "I haven't gotten talk to you and your lady friend."

"Just don't stress her out Vlad." Arthur rolled his eyes, "She _is_ six months pregnant."

"It's okay. I don't mind a little excitement." Erika shrugged, "Just don't touch me without permission."

Vladimir looked at Erika expectantly, "Can I hug you?" He asked eagerly. Erika nodded reluctantly. The brunette bounced in his place and gave Erika a quick squeeze.

"Is he always like this?" Erika muttered.

"99 percent of the time, yes. Yes he is. That's just Vlad." Arthur shrugged, "I'm Arthur, love. It's a pleasure to meet the girl who captured Lukas' heart."

"Pleasure's all mine." Erika blinked, "You're so polite."

"He may seem like a gentleman but he can be just as grumpy and sarcastic as Lulu." Vladimir snickered.

"Vlad, keep your mouth shut!" Lukas' eye twitched.

"You love me too much to hurt me Lulu." Vladimir cackled.

Lukas snorted, "You got lucky you doof." He placed his fist on Vladimir's head.

"Lulu? That's an adorable nickname." Erika giggled. Lukas huffed and looked away.

"It was the only unique nickname he could get out of my name. It just stuck and no one will let it die." He murmured.

Erika gently took Lukas' hand, "I find it cute and endearing."

"No, you may not call me that. It's exclusive to just Vladimir. I don't even let my mother call me that." Lukas rolled his eyes.

"Boo, you're no fun!" Erika whined, puffing out her cheeks.

"I care for you but I'm not making any exceptions for that nickname." Lukas gently kissed her knuckles.

"How you can be such a sweetheart and a dick at the same time?" Erika pouted.

Lukas shrugged, "That's just me being me."

"Your friend is very quirky." Erika slumped, resting her head on Vladimir's shoulder.

"Yeah we know." Vladimir and Arthur laughed in agreement.

 **xXx**

When getting back to the house, Kielo spoiled Erika with a feast. Erika's eyes sparkled at the sight of all the food. Ned and Matthew were amused by Erika's excitement. However, Lukas was embarrassed by his mother's overwhelming hospitality.

"Mother, you really didn't have to cook all this food." Lukas gulped.

"Nonsense! It was no trouble at all. Plus, a growing baby needs plenty of food. I want my grandbaby to be well fed and healthy." Kielo waved him off and hugged Erika's large abdomen. Erika didn't seem phased by the treatment of her stomach.

Lukas merely slumped in his chair, "Mother please. You're embarrassing us." He muttered.

"Erika doesn't seem to mind." Kielo cooed.

Erika shrugged, "As long as I'm getting love, affection and food, I don't mind your family."

"You have no shame Erika!" Lukas blushed.

"Why should I? I might as well be myself around your friends and family." Erika smiled.

"I like her. I am so jealous! She's pretty and very confident." Vladimir cooed.

"Not to mention prideful to who she is." Arthur winked.

Lukas blushed and put his head on the table, "Why can't my family be normal . . ." He groaned.

"Because being normal is boring." Emil giggled.

 **Oh my god. This took forever! I put it off for so long, it's not even funny. I had a tough time trying to end the chapter. But I did it! By the way, might as well make the catch phrase of the story** _ **Being normal is boring**_ **. Ned has said it and now Emil. That's the motto of one of my good friends who is a total dork and nerd like me. Anyhow, I'll get started on the next chapter as soon as possible. It will be a nice chapter filled with DenNor fluffiness. Until next time my fellow Hetalians, hasta la pasta! ~Churro**


	10. Chapter 10: Old and New Life

Now in her eighth month, Erika stayed with Lukas and his family. Kielo made sure Erika was well fed and had enough clean dresses. Against her will, the pregnant blonde was switched to wearing dresses. Boden wasn't happy with the pregnancy but made Lukas promise to marry Erika once the baby was born. Tolys constantly checked up on Erika's health as a personal nurse. Lia had kept her promise and left without reporting Erika's gender. Julchen stayed behind to protect Erika.

One morning, Erika was snoozing away in bed. Then there was a knock on the door.

"Wakey wakey, sleeping beauty." Lukas greeted. Erika yawned and sat up, sitting a hand on her swollen stomach.

"Why do you disturb me? It's at least 9 o'clock in the morning. I always sleep in until ten." Erika grunted. Lukas held up a bowl of fruit.

"My mom told me to bring ya breakfast in bed. She cut up enough for us to share." He winked.

Erika's glare melted into a happy gaze, "Aww your mother is so sweet."

Lukas sat on the bed and set the bowl in between them, "Don't forget about your appointment with Tolys."

"Yeah, yeah. I know." Erika blushed as she plucked a strawberry from the bowl, "I hope nothing bad happens to the baby."

"Erika, you've made it eight months. Plus Tolys has checked the rough size of the baby from your stomach every couple of weeks. He has said several times that the baby is growing at the average rate and is gradually growing in size. You and the baby are a picture of health." Lukas put a hand on her shoulder.

Erika casted her eyes down her abdomen, "I'm just worried. I can't help it you ass." She pouted.

"You're pretty cute when you're angry." Lukas smirked. Erika huffed and playfully shoved his shoulder, going back to the fruit bowl to pick out a piece of apple.

"Shut up." Erika rolled her eyes. The two sat in peaceful silence with their fruits for a few minutes. The silence was broken when Tolys peeked into the room and greeted them.

"Hello my comrades." Tolys smiled. Erika waved in response as she was eating another strawberry.

"Hi Tolys." Lukas sighed softly. Tolys walked over to Erika's side of the bed and gently pushed up the blonde woman's dress to reveal her large stomach.

"Must you always do this so casually?" Erika raised an eyebrow.

"And you're just complaining about it now?" Tolys rolled his eyes and felt around her belly. He paused when Erika gasped in surprise.

"What happened?" Lukas asked. He couldn't read the emotions on their faces. Well that was until Erika broke out in a huge grin.

"The baby just kicked!" Erika cheered and grabbed Lukas's hands, placing them on her stomach. Lukas was even more confused before he felt a tiny kick.

"A wonderful feeling, isn't it?" Tolys chuckled.

Lukas stared at Erika's abdomen in amazement, "What does this mean?" He began to rub one of his hands over the stretching skin.

"That for one is a sign that Erika is due soon. It also means that the baby is healthy. Erika's body is doing as it should." Tolys explained.

"Oh I can't wait until I can see the baby." Erika cooed. Lukas blushed and shyly pecked her cheek.

"I'm pretty excited too." The male blonde mumbled. Erika's face turned a deep red.

"You two are such a cute couple." Tolys chuckled.

 **xXx**

After the check up, Lukas helped Erika change and make her way down the stairs. Lukas took her into town to get her some exercise. He kept a firm hold of Erika's hand the whole time.

"Lukas I am not fragile nor am I helpless." Erika groaned.

"Let me show I care." Lukas muttered.

"Oh aren't you two precious? You are like an old married couple." Miss Applegate walked up to them, "I can't wait until your baby is born. I'm sure they'll be adorable."

Erika laughed sheepishly, "Oh stop it. You're embarrassing me." Her cheeks turned pink.

"Aren't you two eager to see your baby?" Miss Applegate blinked.

"Eh? Well I am. I'm not sure about Lukas." Erika bit her lip.

Lukas panicked internally, "I am! Of course I am. What man wouldn't be excited to see their first child?" He gulped.

"Hun, it's okay to be nervous. Becoming a parent is scary for anyone." Miss Applegate chuckled.

"We aren't nervous!" Erika and Lukas said in unison.

"It's okay to be nervous you two. I'm sure Kielo will help you out." The older woman laughed.

Two blonde women poked their heads out of Miss Applegate' shop. One had short hair and green eyes with a red ribbon in her hair. The other had long hair with purple eyes.

"ERIKA!" They shouted. Erika gasped and clung to Lukas, glancing at the two girls.

"Emma, Tina. Is that you?!" She released the blonde male from her death grip and waddled over the women who pulled her in for a group hug.

"I've missed you both so much!" Erika started to cry, "Lukas these are friends from my village. Emma with the ribbon is Ned's little sister. Tina is practically my sister."

"It's so nice to see your lovely face again Rika. And look at you, you're gonna become a mama." Emma cooed, feeling Erika's stomach.

"That's wonderful Kiki! I'm sure your baby will be adorable." Tina giggled.

Emma wore a pale green dress with brown boots. Tina wore a dress with a dark pink top and long black skirt. Her hair was pulled back in a braid and had a pale pink ribbon weaved into it.

"They are some of my best customers." Miss Applegate smiled.

Erika grinned, "I am not surprised. They are great seamstresses. I wouldn't trust anyone else to make and fix my clothes."

"Uh . . . hi . . ?" Lukas waved awkwardly. Emma and Tina moved their heads towards his voice.

"Who's that?" Emma questioned.

"He is what you may call my baby daddy. We aren't married. This baby happened on a drunken night." Erika explained. Tina marched up to Lukas and grabbed the front of his shirt.

"You leave her and the baby, I will hunt you down and kill you in your sleep." Tina snapped.

"Tina don't be so harsh. Lukas is trustworthy and loyal." Erika panicked.

Emma grabbed Erika's shoulders, "Let me handle it. You can't get stressed out." She released Erika and yanked Tina off of Lukas.

"Sorry about her. She's just real protective." Erika blushed.

Lukas dusted himself off, "I can tell. Don't worry Tina. I've been taking really good care of your friend and the growing child." He tossed some hair out of his face.

"You better." Tina growled.

"Well then. Erika, you'll be excited to hear that your parents are here too!" Emma said in a sing-song voice.

"Eh?!" Erika gasped, "Th-they're here? Oh my god that is so bad! They can't see me like this."

"Hun, it's not like you can hide it." Tina chuckled.

"Rika?" An older blonde woman came up behind Erika. The woman's hair was cut short and had light brown eyes with freckles. She wore a pale red dress with flowy sleeves.

Erika froze, "H-hello mother." She turned around to face her mother.

"Oh sweetie. You're going to have a baby. That is wonderful!" The older woman gently pulled Erika in for a hug.

"Hello miss Astrid." Tina waved, "Where is mister Erik?"

Astrid blinked, "He should've been behind me." She stroked Erika's hair.

"Love you're so fast-oh my heavens! Rika, who impregnated you?!" An older man with black hair and blue eyes rushed up to Erika who looked like she just wanted to disappear.

"Sir please. You've overwhelming her." Lukas stepped in, taking Erika's hand and pulling her close.

"Lukas, that's my father Erik. What are you doing?" Erika gulped.

"Helping you. Now shush." Lukas whispered.

"You scoundrel! You've made my baby girl impure and impregnated her." Erik hissed.

"Sir-" Emma started before Ned came up behind her and Tina.

"Nathaniel?" Tina gasped.

"Just follow me." Ned ordered and ran off with them.

Erik and Astrid were glaring daggers at Lukas who stared right back. Erika cowarded behind Lukas.

"You're a dead man." Astrid cracked her knuckles.

"Which side of your does the dragon shifter come from?" Lukas looked to Erika.

Erika bit her lip, "My mother's side. She's got an insanely bad temper."

"I can tell." Lukas gently squeezed Erika's hand to tell her to calm down. All of a sudden, Boden and Kielo rushed in front of Lukas and Erika.

"Lay a hand on my boy or my grandchild and you'll regret." Kielo hissed, whipping out a brown wooden staff with a blue stone.

"Hurting my son is one thing. But no one hurts my future grandchild." Boden huffed, gripping his black staff adorned with a purple stone.

"Really? You think you've got a chance against a dragon shapeshifter." Astrid growled.

"If we can deal with your daughter," Kielo scoffed, with a pout from Erika, "I can certainly deal with the woman that gave her life."

"Although not in the best circumstances, Erika is a part of our family now. And I intend to protect her while she carries the child of Lukas inside her body." Boden pointed his staff at them.

"Stop!" Emil came up to them, riding Ned in his wolf form, "Mama, papa. Thank for protecting big sister. But no fighting. Like Leon says, we can be civil." He pouted.

"O-oh. Hi Ned. How's Matthew?" Erik laughed nervously. Ned glared at him.

"Boo. Emil, you ruined the fun." Kielo tossed some hair out of her face, "Anyhow back to the house. Mister and Mrs. Kohler, please follow the wolf."

 **xXx**

Deja vu much? Erika's and Lukas's parents sat across from each other. Erika sat in between her parents. The same went for Lukas. Erika kept her head down and an arm on her bulging stomach. Lukas stared at her with a worried expression.

"Care to explain this?" Astrid huffed.

"Allow me to explain. When Erika and Lukas were first sent here, they got drunk at a local pub. Sex was bound to happen, especially after how much they drank. How your daughter got pregnant wasn't entirely my son's fault. An evil wizard had put some kind of fertility potion in their drinks, as to guarantee a baby would be created and render Erika from shapeshifting. Erika and Lukas didn't know and it wasn't 100 percent their faults." Kielo explained.

"This is unacceptable! The man is the one that makes a baby a reality. It's all Lukas's fault!" Erik snapped.

"Father please! It's in the past and I'm handling the baby with care. Don't blame him!" Erika whined, "He didn't know. I didn't know."

"You are not keeping the baby!" Astrid scoffed.

"Excuse me?! This is my body and my baby. I will decide what to do! And I'm going to keep the baby." Erika's eye twitched.

"Once you have that baby, it's going to an orphanage. The baby is poison to your mother's bloodline!" Erik hissed.

Boden slammed his fist on the coffee table, "Now wait a fucking moment! The baby belongs to my son as well. You aren't the only grandparents here. I made Lukas promise to marry your daughter and raise the child."

"Not good enough. He must pay the price for having sex with my daughter before marriage." Erik put a hand on Erika's head. She promptly pushed it off.

"So you're punishing them both and not letting either see the child? What kind of monster are you?!" Kielo grabbed Erika's wrist and pulled her to her feet, gently yanking the pregnant woman towards her, "You don't deserve to be her parents or the grandparents to her child. We'll care for Erika and the baby. You can stay from the baby and their mother."

"I was in this same situation years ago. Astrid and I were engaged. Then we decided not to wait for sex. And then Erika happened. My family wanted to do the exact same thing to Astrid and I. They attempted to kill Erika once she was born. I ran away with Astrid's family to protect my daughter." Erik looked away, "I sacrificed my family for Erika. And I did not intend for her to go down the same path I did. I'm only doing what's best for her." He looked at Erika, "Rika you're not ready to be a mother. You don't understand how stressful it is. You wouldn't be able to handle it. It's better if the baby is raised in a more stable environment."

"I am not a kid anymore! I can do things on my own. I am going to keep this baby and prove you wrong! And you can't stop me." Erika growled much similar to a dragon, "I will be an amazing mother! And Lukas will be a really good father. I've nearly lost my baby once. I'm not going to get so close to losing it again. Not over my parents' stupid opinions!" She froze, her knees buckling underneath her. Lukas jumped up and caught her before she hit the ground.

"Erika, are you alright?!" Lukas asked worriedly. Erika started panting heavily, a hand cradling her stomach.

"Find Tolys. It's the baby." Erika clung to Lukas for dear life. The whole room went silent (except for Erika who's panting had turned into pain filled cries).

"Boden. Find Tolys and have Ned watch the boys. Lukas you help me get Erika upstairs." Kielo ordered, "Astrid, Erik. Go home. You don't deserve to see the baby. But do send Emma and Tina inside as you leave." She glared at them. Astrid and Erik got up slowly, making their way out of the house.

Erika screamed, gripping Lukas's shoulder tightly.

"Mother, lets go." Lukas gulped. Kielo smiled and gently pulled Erika to her feet. The two quickly and carefully moved Erika the upstairs bedroom.

"Luke, take her hand. I don't care if it feels like it's broken. Erika is going through something much worse and needs support." Kielo instructed. Lukas bit his lip and offered Erika his right hand. She wasted no time and latched her hand onto his, squeezing it with a death grip.

 _Oh my god. I regret this. I so regret this! My hand._ Lukas thought. She had the grip of a boa constrictor.

"Oh, hurts. It hurts so much!" Erika cried, "This is so much worse than getting attacked by a beast. So much worse!"

"You're doing fine dear. Just wait a little longer. You're going to be okay." Kielo assured, "Just focus on your breathing. Pace yourself with the contractions as they come and go."

Lukas winced and pushed back some of Erika's hair. Her face was red and covered in sweat, causing some hair to stick to her face.

"Give her support. Talk to her." Kielo whispered.

Lukas bit his lip and looked at Erika again, "D-don't cry. You're doing great. I'll be here the whole time. I . . . I love you Erika. I really love you. And I will help you through this." Erika opened her eyes and snapped her head up at Lukas. He had never admitted or ever said those words in the past several months. He mostly just said that cared deeply for her.

"Y-you love me?" Erika gulped, "B-b-but I haven't done anything to make you feel this way!"

"You've carried my baby even you've had several opportunities to get rid of the baby in the beginning. You gave up fighting these last several months to worry about the baby. You have impressed me with how much strength you have, even when you're pregnant." Lukas explained as his face turned red from embarrassment.

"Oh my god. I love you too! I love you so much." Erika smiled weakly, "Although sweet, I think you could've chosen better timing." She squeezed his hand as she rode out another contraction.

"Well it leaves more time for cooing over the baby once it's born." Lukas shrugged.

"God dammit, how do you manage to be so considerate and such an ass at the same time?" Erika glared playfully at him.

"Because being normal is boring. It's beyond me on how you fell for this." Lukas smirked.

Tolys rushed into the room, slamming the door behind him. "You ready Erika? This is gonna be real painful." He smiled nervously.

"I've battled large beasts half my life. I'm ready to push this baby out." Erika squeezed Lukas's hand again, "Oh my god please help me though! The pain is horrible." She hissed in pain.

 **I'll save you guys from the birth scene. I don't even like roleplaying birth scenes, much less writing them. So I'll just stop here and then we'll greet the baby at the beginning of the next chapter. Oh my god though, this chapter is WAY overdue. I am so sorry I made you wait so long. I just had a hard time with the plot in this one.**

 **So I threw in Erika's parents. Yeah if you think Boden is bad, her parents are so much worse. Boden, ironically, was a pretty good guy in this. I didn't intend for him to completely hate Lukas and Emil. He is fiercely protective of his kids.**

 **Anyhow, if you're uncomfortable about Astrid's and Erik's reactions, I'm sorry. I just felt like one set of parents wouldn't approve of the baby. Plus I know this would be an issue in a lot of families. A pretty good chapter. And a long one. To make up for the absence.**

 **It's seven pages on a Google Doc. Bloody hell. Anyway, until next time my fellow Hetalians. Hasta la pasta! ~Churro**


	11. Chapter 11: New Life and New Companion

"Come on Erika. You can do it. Just one more push and it's all over." Tolys placed a hand on Erika's thigh.

"I can't. I can't!" Erika gripped the sheets of the bed.

Lukas wiped her face with a cloth, "You're doing great Erika. Just one more push. You can do it." He took her hand again. Erika squeezed his hand and bared down again.

Erika's screams were replaced the cries of a baby's. Erika flopped on the bed in exhaustion.

"Oh my god. It's here. The baby is here." She broke down in tears.

Lukas looked over at Tolys, "What is it?" He gulped.

"It's a girl." Tolys smiled.

"Give me my baby. Please." Erika demanded weakly.

"Alright, alright. Be careful, she's still attached to you." Tolys passed the sobbing child through the mother's legs. Erika collected the newborn in her arms.

"It's a girl. A little girl." Erika cradled the crying child. Lukas gently wiped down the wriggling baby. A blonde swirl was revealed on the top of her head.

"She's so tiny. Like a little mouse." Lukas stared at the baby. Erika pouted when Tolys took the baby girl.

"I'm not doing anything bad. Just detaching her from Erika's body and cleaning her up." Tolys chuckled.

Erika crossed her arms, "Well hurry up. I want to hold my baby again." She huffed.

"Miss impatient aren't ya?" Lukas teased.

Erika puffed out her cheeks, "Shut it. I've carried that baby inside my body for over eight months. Excuse me for just wanting to see her." She blushed.

Lukas pecked her cheek. Tolys tapped his shoulder, helping Lukas hold the baby girl now wrapped in a white blanket.

"W-what are you doing?" He gulped.

"Helping you hold the baby." Tolys smiled.

Erika cupped her cheeks, "Oh my gosh. You look perfect with a baby!" She cooed.

Lukas blushed and looked away, "S-so you got any names in mind?" He mumbled.

Erika thought for a moment before her face lit up, "Gale. That was my grandmother's name." She grinned, "It means joyful and lovely."

Lukas gazed down at the tiny infant, "Gale. I like that." He allowed the baby to reach out and grasp his index finger. The young man brushed his thumb over the chubby pink fingers. He was truly amazed by this tiny being. Sure he had seen babies before. After all, he helped his mother give birth to his brother. Something about this baby seemed . . . different. Perhaps it's because it's his own child. He helped create the precious infant.

"Lukas, are you okay? You're more quiet than usual. Do you not like her?" Erika bit her lip. She hadn't ever considered whether or not he was okay with parenthood, even if the baby's existence was an act created by a villian.

Lukas looked up at Erika, "No. I love her. I swear I will protect this child with my life. She is my everything. Her and her mother are now the most important people in my life." He gave her a genuine smile. The young woman couldn't but tear up and smile along with him

 _That was a completely different reaction than I was expecting._ Erika thought happily.

"Hate to disturb the tender moment but would you two like any visitors?" Tolys cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

The happy parents paused and looked over at their friend. They nodded yes and Tolys went to answer the bedroom door. Immediately, Lukas's family and Erika's friends filed into the room.

"Tell me, is it a boy or a girl?" Emma stared at Erika eagerly.

Erika simply laughed, "We had a little girl Em. Her name is Gale." She reached for the baby in Lukas's arms who quickly complied and settled the infant into her arms.

"Yes! Now I can sew cute little dresses for her." Tina cooed gleefully, "Girls are so much fun to design clothes for."

Ned quirked an eyebrow, "T. Who says the girl will be girly? Have you seen who her mother is? She could very well grow up to be a tomboy like her mother."

"Well, if baby Gale turns out to be more girly than her mother, T and I will be prepared with our seamstress skills to create cute, quality dresses for her." Emma puffed out her cheeks. Tina stared at Ned with a pout. While they bickered, Emil climbed onto the bed with Erika to get a closer look at the baby.

"Easy little brother. Gale is fragile." Lukas cautioned his brother.

"Lukas. It's okay, he can't hurt her just by looking at her." Erika rolled her eyes.

Emil stared at the infant. Gale yawned and opened her eyes to stare sleepily back at her young uncle. "Big brother, she has your eyes. A mix of royal-blue and violet." The little boy gasped.

"Really now?" Lukas gulped as his cheeks turned a light pink.

Erika cooed softly, "That's exactly what I wanted our child to inherit! I love your eyes Lukas. They're the perfect blend of blue and violet. And now our daughter has them. Oh she's gonna have you wrapped around her finger." Lukas's whole face turned red which caused him to look away.

Emil placed a hand on Erika's arm, "Big sister, c-can I hold the baby?" He asked nervously. Erika paused her embarrassment of Lukas to glance over at the young boy.

Her face softened.

"Sure. Just be careful and be sure to support her head. Babies aren't that fragile but you definitely have to be gentle. They're a little helpless at this age." Erika shifted Gale into Emil's arms. The baby girl looked so much bigger in the boy's arms. Erika chatted with Emil while Lukas spoke with his parents. Everything seemed peaceful. That was until something broke through the window of the room. The snout of a large purple dragon was the cause of the destruction.

Kielo and Boden immediately materialized their magical staffs. Erika wrapped a protective arm around Emil and Gale. Ned pushed Tina and Emma behind him.

"Miss Astrid, we told you to leave!" Lukas grabbed his staff from against the wall.

The dragon, Erika's mother Astrid, growled lowly. But a moment later, sadistic laughing was heard. Ivan came walking down Astrid's nose.

"Congratulations Miss Erika. You finally gave birth to the little parasite." Ivan smiled, "I am so glad your parents were so considerate to offer me your hand and your child. I shall do my best to provide for you both." Erika gently picked up Emil and set him on the ground.

"Emil, take care of Gale and get out of here. Ned, Emma, Tina take care of him." Erika ordered.

Before Lukas or his parents could argue, Ned picked up the boy and ran out of the room with his sister and friend.

"You gave your daughter's hand to a rogue wizard? And you say you care about her!" Kielo hissed, "Why did you do that?!"

Eric stepped down beside Ivan, "We did it to protect her. We knew Ivan wouldn't hurt her if she was his bride. However, the pregnancy was entirely his idea." He explained.

"Protect me?! Like hell you were. You're basically handing over a very powerful weapon to the most evil wizard." Erika snapped, "You're only handing me over to protect yourselves. You called my child poison on mother's bloodline. You both are poison on both your own bloodlines. And with the choice you've made, you bring dishonor to both your families."

Ivan yawned and shoved Lukas away from the bed, scooping up Erika in his arms. "I'm getting bored. Too much chit chat. I'll just take what's mine and be on my way."

Erika, despite her anger, her body was still incredibly weak. She didn't have the energy to fight back. The young woman reached out for Lukas who was pinned down by Eric's foot.

"Astrid go after Ned and the boy. We need to retrieve that baby." Eric instructed. Astrid removed her snout and flew away.

"Erika!" Lukas shouted and tried to push off Eric's foot with his staff.

Erika stared at him with half lidded eyes, "D-don't worry about me . . . worry about Gale . . . she's in . . . danger . . . ." She fell unconscious. Ivan merely chuckled and snapped his fingers. Himself, Erika and Eric to disappear into clouds of smoke.

"ERIKA!" Lukas shouted again as tears welled up in his eyes.

 **xXx**

Ned shape shifted into a wolf and ran into the forest. Emil, Emma and Tina rode on his back. Emil clutched onto the baby girl, holding her against his chest. Leon, in his small black panther form, ran alongside them.

"Brother, go faster! We have a dragon on our tail." Emma panicked.

"I'm running as fast as I can. Do you really think I can outrun a damn dragon?!" Ned growled. Leon tripped up and rammed into a tree.

"Ned, we have to save Leon! He's hurt." Emil gasped. He tipped over Ned's shoulder and lost his balance, falling off.

"Little Emil!" Emma shouted. Tina clutched onto Emma's arm. Before Ned could skid to a stop, a large black panther caught the boy and baby in its mouth. The feline set the two children next to Leon and attacked Astrid. Ned transformed back into his human form and rushed over to the children with Emma and Tina. Leon had turned back into a boy.

"That was lucky. That cat came out of nowhere." Emma smoothed out her hair.

Tina knelt by Emil, "He's okay. A little scratched up and a little out of it but okay. Gale is alright too, shockingly enough. She's a tough lil baby." She smiled.

Leon slowly opened his eyes and gazed up the battling animals, "A black panther . . .? That type of animal only comes from my family . . ." He rubbed his eyes and stretched his arms. The large feline grabbed the dragon by her neck and tossed her miles away. The panther yawned and scratched behind its ears before turning back into a human. In its place was a young woman with long black hair pulled back into a braid. She gazed at the others with large brown eyes. She wore a pink flowery kimono that went half way down her thighs and black boots. The woman's eyes welled up with tears.

"Leo-kun . . .?" She stammered. Leon perked up and pushed himself to his feet.

"Sakuranee-san!" Leon ran over to her and hugged her waist as he burst into tears. The woman, Sakura, hugged him back tightly.

"So they finally came back for him." Emil smiled as he gently bounced a whiny Gale in his arms.

Sakura looked up at Ned, "Hello Nathaniel Peeters. I am Sakura Honda of the Eastern Feline shapeshifters. And I am here to protect the child of a dragon shapeshifter and class A wizard."

 **I AM ALIVE! And I bring you another chapter of drama. Initially it was gonna be a sweet and fluffy chapter about Lukas's and Erika's child. But I decided against it. And I am so glad I did. Please enjoy this chapter and be expecting the next one to come out within the next couple weeks. Until next time my fellow hetalians, hasta la pasta! ~Churro**


	12. Chapter 12: Two Paths Cross

"So let me get this straight. You were sent here to protect this baby who is apparently really special for some unknown reason. And yet you're not feeling any damn sympathy for leaving behind your little brother for god knows how many years?!" Ned was trying to make sense of the explanation Leon's sister, Sakura, had given him.

"Sir Ned, where my people live is dangerous to travel to if you aren't an adult shapeshifter and it's best to travel with a group." Sakura explained.

"And you couldn't send a search party after Leon? You just abandoned him here. The poor thing was lucky enough to be adopted by Emil's family." Tina raised an eyebrow.

"We left him behind to protect him. Our village was being attacked. Many children were traumatized and had endless nightmares for months. Our father decided against bringing him home. Father wanted Leon to keep his innocence. It hurt all of us to leave him behind for so long. But with this special child being born, we finally had a reason to come back out here. Don't think we didn't feel horrible. He's the baby of the family." Sakura gulped and looked away. Leon stepped in front of his sister.

"Stop bombarding her with questions. No one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes and sacrifices. Like how miss Erika forced us out here with her baby. Little Gale hasn't been alive for more than a day and her mother already put a lot of faith in us to protect her." He huffed, "I was hurt by my family but I understand their reasoning. And I won't argue with it. Father is the chief of our village and his decisions are final."

"The kid is right. Erika put a lot of trust in us. And I don't think her mother will stay down for too long, no matter how far Sakura threw her." Emma sighed deeply, "Let's get a move on. Sakura, please explain why baby Gale is so special on the way to, your village I'm assuming."

Sakura looked back over at them and nodded curtly, "Yes. I will explain everything. Sir Ned. I assume, with your canine capabilities, picked up on my scent. Just pick it up from the ground and it should lead you back to my village." She smiled.

Ned grumbled but sniffed the air, leaning towards the ground. He paused for a long moment before shapeshifting into his wolf form. "Let's go. We've waited around long enough." He instructed. Emma helped the others onto Ned's back before climbing up herself. Emil and Leon sat closest to Sakura.

"Now, miss Sakura. Enlighten us with knowledge." Tina waved a hand towards the young woman.

"Well, in the first place, a child born between a wizard and shapeshifter is very rare. Normally the couplings are mortal with a shapeshifter, wizard with a mortal, wizard with a wizard or shapeshifter with another shapeshifter. Or neither and a normal child is just born between two mortals. But when this rare coupling has happened in the past, the shapeshifter was the one that fathered the child. Baby Gale is the first hybrid of a wizard and a shapeshifter to be mothered by a shapeshifter.

"Wizard-shapeshifter hybrid babies have known to be unpredictable and often dangerous. But that was mainly because the baby took on the shapeshifter gene. Animal shapeshifting is a dominant gene and will always trump any other gene. All the hybrid babies of the past have taken on powerful second animal forms." Sakura explained, "And scary enough, had a tendency to kill their mothers. Whether it was from the child killing their mother directly with an attack or from childbirth varied. Babies of animal shapeshifters tend to be big babies. Leon was a hefty eleven pounds. Bodies of female shapeshifters have evolved to better suited to carry large babies. Wizards have slimmer bodies like mortals."

"I guess that explains why every female shapeshifter I've met is either really tall or have larger build compared to most other women." Tina blinked, "Erika and her mother are very tall women. Erika does have more muscle on her bones too. Just enough to be noticable and still be recognized as a girl. Only makes sense for her have a big baby."

"I can confirm that. Gale is really heavy for me. Just as heavy as a melon or a small pumpkin." Emil pouted as he held Gale against his chest. "What kind of second animal forms did these children have?" He asked curiously.

"Large felines, canines, and various other strong mammals. Large scaly shapeshifters are a rarity in general. But they exist and are out there. Mostly consisting of snakes and lizards." Sakura stated, "However, dragon shapeshifters are very special. The male to female ratio was very lopsided though. In the past, if a female dragon shapeshifter was born, she would be doomed to be a mere baby oven as an adult. These poor girls would be married off and forced to give as many offspring as possible. Mothers would pray to have no daughters out of fear."

"Oh god. That's horrible. Those poor women. I don't blame Erika for trying to break the mold. Her people were especially harsh towards to girls." Emma gasped.

"What happened to the all dragon shapeshifters in general? They're practically an extinct species, according to Erika." Tina bit her lip.

"The women eventually took a stand and separated themselves from the men, mixing their genes with other animal shapeshifters and normal people. To make those offspring hybrids and undesirable to the men of their kind." Sakura replied, "Your friend Erika is not a purebred dragon shapeshifter, as her father is a mortal. There are very few pure breeds out there and a female being even more rare."

"Wow the women of Erika's kind really gave the men a huge middle finger." Ned hummed, "That just goes to show that you don't demand too much of a woman's gift to carry children."

"Now I'm curious. Since you seem to know so much about Erika's people, is her mother a pure breed? Or is she just another hybrid?" Tina questioned.

"My brother Im Yong-soo did some digging of miss Astrid's family tree. Miss Astrid is the last purebred female dragon shapeshifter. Her family up to her had managed to maintain good relations with a few other purebred families to keep a good chunk of their kind pure. Until miss Astrid, these families married off several children. Miss Astrid defied her parents' request and fell for a mortal. She stubbornly refused to marry for her kind." Sakura explained.

"Okay now we know why Erika's people are so scarce and how messed up their past is but now explain this, why is Gale so fucking special? You have yet to clarify." Ned growled lowly.

Emma huffed and tugged on his fur, "Don't be so rude brother. Also, watch your language! Children are present." Ned moved his head to glare at her for a few moments before put his head back down to follow the scent trail.

"No, no. He's right. I rambled just a tad." Sakura chuckled, "Baby Gale is special, for one, because of who her parents are. Her father is a class A wizard and her mother is a dragon shapeshifter. You can't get a more rare mix than that. Second reason, if she is taught to recognize magic and get in touch with her dragon side, she'll become one of the most powerful people in our land. With the help of her parents and the people of my village, she would pave the way for more wizard-shapeshifter couplings. That's if we can get her to control her abilities." She gulped.

"Let me guess, because of who her parents are, it's important she is raised to be good or she could become a major threat in the future?" Tina rubbed her temples.

Sakura blushed and rubbed the back of her neck, "E-essentially yes. Her abilities and power are going to be very unstable and dangerous if she can't properly use them." She nodded slowly, "She'll be a recipe for disaster if not properly taught, trained and all around raised in a pleasant environment."

"Will your village be safe for her? She won't be a beacon that will draw any baddies?" Emma sighed.

"With the powerful wizards we have living there, she'll won't become that. A barrier is around our village and wards off just about every enemy that comes within a mile of the village." Sakura smiled, "Baby Gale will be perfectly safe, more so when we bring her parents there."

"Right. Lukas is gonna have to rescue Erika, again." Ned grumbled, "Everything comes full circle."

 **xXx**

After several days of travel, Ned and the other made it to Sakura's and Leon's village. It was located high up in the mountains. They had stopped by a small village to resupply and get some warmer clothes for the cold climb. Wrapped in a thicker dress and a fluffy blanket, baby Gale was gently cradled by Emil. She snuggled close against his chest.

Sakura instructed the group to dismount Ned and have said man shapeshift back into a human. Once that was dealt with, the young woman went up to the gates of the village. After a few moments, the doors were slowly opened. She waved for them to follow.

"How do people live up this high? It's hard to breathe." Emma shivered and stuck close to Ned. Tina walked next to Emil.

Leon shrugged and pushed back the hood of his cloak, "You get used to it. But it's not that bad once inside the village. The wizards of the village have made the air more breathable as soon as you enter. You'll breathe the difference."

Tina and Emma breathed in once they made their way into the village. Emma's relieved smile confirmed Leon's explanation.

"Welcome to the village of the Eastern Feline shapeshifters." Sakura turned around to face them, "Every shapeshifter in the village can shapeshift into some kind of large feline. My family specifically pass on the gene of the black panther." She smiled.

Leon nodded with his sister before freezing up and bolting off behind Sakura. He had run straight into the arms of a man with long black hair dressed in red clothing. The boy immediately began to cry and wrapped his arms around the man's neck.

"Father! I missed you so much!" Leon sobbed and buried his face into his father's shoulder. The man gently rubbed circles into the boy's back.

"I missed you Li. I am so glad you're finally home." The man kissed Leon's hair and slowly stood up, holding Leon in his arms and walking over the group. A teenage girl and boy trailed behind the man.

The girl had long dark brown hair with pink flowers adorned in her hair with a stray hair falling in her face. She wore a pink dress with a fluffy collar and white gloves. The boy had messy black locks with a long strand of hair poking out from his head. His clothes were blue and white.

"Hello my humble travelers. We are happy to have you in our quaint village in the mountains. We will make sure you are well taking care of." The man bowed his head and looked up at Ned, "I assume you are the head of the company. I am Yao Wang. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

Ned nodded curtly, "I am Ned Peeters. The blonde attached to me is my younger sister Emma. The short woman with the boy is Tina. The boy is Emil." He introduced each one. Emma and Tina waved in greeting. Emil hid behind Tina's legs.

"And the baby must be the special one. The special child of a wizard and dragon shapeshifter." Yao smiled, "My family will do our best to care for you and the little one." He snapped his fingers, "Mei-Ling, Yong-Soo. Take the newborn to the family nursery."

"Yes father." Mei-Ling giggled and reached out to Emil to take baby Gale. Emil held the baby girl closer and took a step back away from her.

"No. This is my niece and I am not going to trust her to people I barely know. My big brother and his girlfriend trusted me to take care of her." Emil shook his head, "I won't just hand Gale over." He snorted and turned his nose up, away from Mei-Ling.

"This boy has attitude. I like him." Yong-soo snickered softly. Mei-Ling hit him upside the head.

"Shut it Yong-Soo. I don't need your attitude." She scoffed.

Yao looked down at Emil, "Young Emil. Please don't make this difficult. We know a whole lot more about baby Gale's powers than you do. It's best if she comes with us." He tried to reason with the boy but Emil continued to be stubborn.

"Mister Yao. I understand you're trying to help us and protect Gale but I don't think you understand how attached Emil is. Gale is literally the only family he has. His parents and older brother are back in his hometown. I suggest you don't take the baby away." Ned gently pulled Emil closer, "And frankly, I agree with him. We hardly know you. And I am not going to trust you or any of your family alone with Gale, with the exception of Leon. Until the baby's parents are here, Gale stays with us."

"What is your relation to this baby?" Yao questioned.

"The newborn's mother is my childhood friend and is practically a sister to me. She trusted Emil, myself, Emma and Tina to protect her child. I intend to keep that promise." Ned stated, "Are you really going to fight against the judgement of the baby's mother?"

"He makes a valid point father." Mei-Ling bit her lip.

Yao let out a long and deep sigh, "Alright, fine. Baby Gale can stay with you. Under one condition." He snapped his fingers again. Sakura straightened up. "My daughter must stay with you at all times until the baby's parents come here."

"Agreed. She better keep her feline instincts in check." Ned glared at Sakura as he growled like a wolf.

"As long you do the same with your canine instincts." Sakura scoffed, hissing softly like a cat.

 **xXx**

Meanwhile, in those several days and then some, Lukas searched for Erika day and night with Tolys and Matthew. He was determined to make his little family whole again and he wasn't going to let Erika be married off to a mad man.

"Lukas, we have been searching for so long. Maybe we should give up for now and come up with a better plan." Matthew suggested as he rode through the forest with Lukas and Tolys.

"No! Erika is close. I can feel it. I will not rest until she is under my watch." Lukas snapped, "I lost her once. I am NOT going to lose her again." He sent a glare to the teenage boy. Tolys did his best to ignore their bickering. He was about to tell them knock it off when he stopped by a creek. A person was laying in the water.

"Guys! Look over there!" Tolys pointed over towards the creek. Lukas paused his argument to glance at the creek. He wasted no time jumping off his horse and ran down to the stream. The moment he saw the person's clothes, he pulled them out of the water. It was Erika. Her clothes were soaked with water and her hair was covered in mud.

"W-wha?! Why would Ivan just leave her here?" Matthew stammered.

"Lukas this is a little suspicious. He wouldn't leave her laying around. A smart villain would keep her with him. Even worse, a crafty villain would leave her here as a trap. Just for you." Tolys gulped.

"This isn't an illusion and I don't care if it's a trap! Erika is with me again and that's all that matters. Now we just need to find out where Ned would run off with our baby." Lukas quickly removed Erika's damp clothes and wrapped his cloak around her. He carefully dipped her head into the creek to clean off her hair.

"Why not just follow the large wolf pawprints on the ground." Matthew gestured to the large pawprints in the dirt, "I recognize Ned's tracks anywhere."

"That was oddly convenient. Too convenient." Tolys raised an eyebrow.

"Doesn't matter. I trust Matthew's judgement. He knows Ned as well as Erika. We will follow the track and hope it leads to a village. Erika needs clothes, desperately. My cloak is made out of warmer material but it will only help her so much. Let's get a move on." He used his magic to teleport onto his horse and wrapped a protective arm around Erika. Her breathing was labored and she shivered like crazy.

Lukas gently stroked Erika's hair, "Don't worry Erika. We're gonna get you somewhere safe and we'll reunite with our daughter. I promise." He whispered, glancing over at Tolys and Matthew, "Let's get a move on. We need to keep Erika away from Ivan and her parents." The two young men nodded and snapped the reins on their horses. Lukas quickly followed after them, keeping a firm hold of Erika to protect her.

The three followed Ned's tracks all the way to a village at the bottom of the Eastern mountains. Matthew raised an eyebrow and looked around for more tracks, gulping audibly as he gazed up at the mountains.

"Where do we go next Matthew?" Tolys asked. The young blonde shakily pointed up at the mountains.

"Ned headed up there. B-but neither mortals or wizards can travel up there without a shapeshifter. It's too dangerous otherwise." Matthew bit his lip.

"Well we have a shapeshifter but she is in no condition to shapeshift, much less walk on her own. Plus dragons are cold-blooded like many other reptiles. Cold climate will not compliment well with her body, dragon form or not." Tolys sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

Matthew ran a hand through his hair, "Oh god. Is it hopeless?" He whined. Lukas played with Erika's hair as he tried to think around their situation. He was brought out of his thoughts when a girl walked up to his horse.

"Are you Lukas Bondevik?" She asked. Lukas perked up and looked down at her with curiosity and suspicion.

"Yes. How do you know who I am?" Lukas scoffed, carefully tightening his hold around Erika. The girl pushed back her hood to reveal braided black hair.

"My name is Sakura. Your child, brother and friends are currently in my village. They have been for the past couple days." Sakura smiled.

"That was oddly convenient, again." Tolys muttered.

"Do not worry sir. I am someone you can trust. Please come with me to get warmer clothes. The clothes you have now will not be enough for the cold weather you'll experience up in the mountains." Sakura gestured for them to follow. The three hesitated for a couple moments before following the young woman. She handled getting them better clothing, cleaning up Erika and caring for the horses who weren't going to make the trek up the mountains.

"How do you know my brother, child and friends?" Lukas questioned.

"After hearing of the threat of a powerful wizard, my father sent me down to search for my brother Leon. When I found him, I found everyone else. Your child is special. The reasoning will be explained when we get to my village." Sakura replied.

"You're Leon's older sister? It's a pleasure to meet you. Your brother is a really good kid." Matthew blinked. Sakura chuckled softly as she rebraided her hair.

"Thank you. You're too kind. But I will agree with you. Leon is very friendly and kind to others. Very admirable traits." She smiled.

Lukas glared at Sakura, "How is my baby? Is she okay? Is she being fed and well cared for?" He huffed, trying to sound intimidating but merely sounded like a worried parent.

"Don't stress yourself. Baby Gale is doing just fine. She has been drinking all her meals and is always in a good mood, cooing at just about everything." Sakura reported. Lukas breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a little more relaxed knowing his daughter was in good hands.

"That's good to hear. I never got to check up on the baby's health before everything went bad." Tolys nodded curtly.

"Well let's not waste anymore time. Let's get the parents to their baby." Sakura pulled her hood back over her head and shapeshifted into her panther form. Lukas helped Tolys and Matthew onto her back before hoisting up Erika and climbing on himself. It took a few hours to get to the village. Sakura told them to get down while she opened the gates. She ushered them inside after a few moments. Lukas held Erika in his arms.

"Big brother!" Emil ran up to Lukas and hugged his waist. Lukas ruffled up the boy's hair.

"Hey there Emil. It's great to see you. Have you been a good boy and behaved?" He smirked. Emil giggled as he nuzzled his brother's hip.

"Of course I have. I'm a good boy. We both know this." The boy grinned.

Lukas looked over at Sakura (who had shapeshifted back into a human), "Am I allowed to see my daughter now?" He asked sarcastically.

"Yes, yes. Of course. Young Emil, lead the way." Sakura smiled and looked down at the little boy who nodded vigorously. He took them to a large home, leading them down a hallway before stopping in front of a sliding door. With some help from Sakura, Emil pulled it open. Inside was a bed and a white bassinet. Ned was asleep with Emma on the bed. Gale cooed softly from the bassinet.

"Wake up sleepy heads. You have guests." Sakura pulled Ned out of bed. The tall man grunted and sat up on the floor, turning around to look at the people who entered the room.

"I see you retrieved Erika. Was it epic like last time?" Ned waved as he shook his sister awake. Lukas rolled his eyes as Emma said a simple hello and moved back to allow the young man to lay Erika down on the bed.

"Quite the opposite actually. Ivan had dumped her in a creek. She has been unconscious since." Tolys shrugged.

"R-right! MIss Erika needs a doctor. I'll be right back." Sakura gasped and quickly darted out of the room.

Once assuring that Erika was comfortable on the bed, Lukas moved on to the bassinet. Gale gazed up at her father with eyes she inherited from him. The newborn was clothed in a light pink dress with ruffled sleeves and had a dark pink headband adorned with a matching flower on her head.

She cooed softly and reached her arms up towards Lukas. The blonde accepted her silent request and carefully scooped up the chubby baby. Gale snuggled her father's chest.

Lukas leaned down to kiss her forehead and then her cheeks, "Hey there little one. Far has missed you so much. Don't you worry. He's going to protect you and mor from now on. No one will be able to lay a hand on you or mor without going through me." He whispered as Gale reached a chubby hand towards his face, "I love you so much. My darling angel." He gave her a genuine smile and kissed her tiny fingers.

 **Boy, was this chapter long overdue. I left you guys on a cliffhanger. XD Sorry about that. I lost interest in Hetalia just a little bit and then** _ **My Hero Academia**_ **took over my life. I am still stuck pretty deep in the** _ **My Hero Academia**_ **fandom. Now I'm just waiting for the fourth season. That definitely shows how much time has past.**

 **Anyhow, I hope you enjoy this extra long chapter jam packed with backstory and the introducing of Yao and his HUGE family. It is so long! Ten pages on a Google Doc. It's insane. I may or may not have had a little too much fun adding in a dark past of Erika's people but whatever. I felt it was necessary. Mainly so you guys (and Ned) could understand why Baby Gale is so gosh darn special.**

 **What's gonna happen next? Even as the creator, I've got no clue. Aside from some more family issues with Erika and her parents along with Ivan continuing to reek havoc and searching for Erika. I'm not sure. If you have suggestions, feel free to comment them. Until next time my fellow Hetalians, hasta la pasta!**


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